All Deli Flavor, No Butcher Required
By Charles Karel Bouley
There are two types of vegans it seems these days: those that do not miss meat, that do not need food that replicates meat and are content to never have food like that served in a deli ever again; and then there are those that love a good cold cut sandwich, cheeses, deli sides like pasta salads, egg salad, tuna salad, they love a good faux corned beef and cabbage meal at St. Patrick’s Day or a Reuben bursting with kraut.
If you are the latter, and I am, then NoButcher at 3565 S. Rainbow Blvd. #110, Las Vegas, NV in the Walmart and Petco center is the place for you.
I’ve been frequenting NoButcher at least once a week since I moved to Las Vegas in 2018 and have yet to be disappointed. It has that true deli feel, like walking up to your favorite bodega in NYC or stopping by the deli on the way home to get a salad or some meat-like goodness to make your own creations. They also offer a full service menu that includes a monthly special, always full of seasonal flavors and flair. And now, they’re going all in on desserts as well.
I love Greek food, and I have to say, after I became a plant-based eater I missed a delicious Gyro sandwich. Well, I miss it no more. The NoButcher Greek brings all the flavors of a fabulous Greek gyro to life with NoButcher’s Gyro NoMeat, Tzatziki sauce, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions on a crispy ciabatta roll. You can get it ala carte or as a full meal, as a sandwich or as a salad (every entree has those choices). Full meal comes with a side, a house drink and a sweet surprise in the form of a freshly baked cookie du jour.
As for sides, it’s deli salads galore from which to choose. My go-to is Bow Tie No Turkey salad, with it’s little peas, bits of faux turkey and fabulous bow tie pasta with just the right amount of vegan mayo. Their potato salad is BBQ picnic ready, as well as the Cole Slaw (I used to love KFC’s cole slaw, well, not any more). Both the NoTuna and No Egg salads rival their namesakes for goodness and I often buy the NoTuna to bring home and make a Tuna Melt for later.
Speaking of taking things home, that’s really what a deli is, and they offer all their No Meats ala carte so you can utilized them in your own creations. The Pulled Pork is so versatile it can be for tacos, BBQ, Carne Asada, a host of recipes; the No Ribs rival any BBQ Rib and as a sandwich will please any McRib lover; the No Turkey is seitan at it’s best, along with the No Pepperoni (Pizzas will never be the same), NoBacon, No Pastrami and the NoGyro.
For those that love cheese, don’t worry, they’ve got you covered. The cashew-based NoMozzarella can be used for any mozzarella need, the dilly ranch cheese ball can make any party platter better, the beer NoBacon Cheese Ball is perfect for game night, the Marbled Wine Cheese Ball will make any wine tasting better and the NoFeta is a perfect pair for the Gyro meet or other dishes requiring feta.
But the sandwiches or salads are the real star, and the perfect lunch or take-home dinner. I truly love them all, but if I had to pick favorites other than the Gryo the Aloha NoRib is right up there, sadly because I was a fan of the horrifying McRib from McDonald’s. The Italian Cold Cut has a cream cheese dressing that is so good I want to slather all over myself but that’s frowned upon in public. When I want to be extra healthy the Marinated Mediterranean Roasted Veggie salad or sandwich always hits the spot and when I want to be decadent it the NoPastrami all the way.
On St. Patrick’s Day, I always order their meal of cabbage, carrots, potato and Corned beef, and as someone who goes to Ireland I must tell you I wish they had this there.
There’s even vegan doggie treats for my gal Ember when we go, and a take home bag of those is under $4.
The sauces are the stars as much as the meats and cheeses, and you can’t miss with their Rosemary Lemonade.
If you aren’t counting calories, the Ice cream cookie is huge, and just so good, the Cherry Crisp a buttery cobbler done right and the pineapple crumble bar made perfect by the coconut cream on top. Cinnamon Coffee Cake will make a perfect breakfast treat, if it lasts that long at your house.
The atmosphere is always welcoming, the patrons are fabulous, the staff kind and attentive. There’s always a great playlist going, from jazz to disco, and the rainbow flag at the drivethru makes this LGBTQ community member feel right at home.
Yes, I love NoButcher, and so will you if you love great deli faire at affordable prices. It’s worth a drive from anywhere in the Las Vegas valley and they deliver through most major services.
Visit them on the Web here.
