What Happened to Bao's Awesome Burgers and Sandwiches?

There once existed a restaurant whose burgers I could say were the best in San Diego. That honor belonged to Bao's Awesome Burgers and Sandwiches, or Babs for short. Unfortunately, the year of 2016 was not a good one for Babs as they officially closed down on March 14, 2016. Every moment I pass by what was once a magnificent burger joint brings about a wave of disappointment. The view of the now empty restaurant is a stark contrast to the neighboring ramen and boba tea establishments filled with bustling customers.

Exactly how great were the burgers at Babs? Well, let me ask you a question. How would you like an incredible melt-in-your-mouth sensation that would temporarily send you to a dream land? If you answered "yes" to that question, then Babs' burgers would have rocked your world. The burgers at Babs were incredibly rich and succulent, completely brimming with flavor. My preferred burger was called a "White Hot Burger". Unsurprisingly, this burger was "an extremely hot burger". If there's something spicy on the menu, it's really hard to resist. That's particularly the case if there's a spicy burger. This burger was topped with a sauce called "monster blood sauce", possibly to scare potential eaters, and sauteed habaneros. Now, the superb thing about the burgers at Babs' was how all of their burger patties were injected with melted cheese. When I first ate their burger, it was as if a cheese-filled dynamite went off. A torrent of rich and savory flavors had engulfed me. The combination of a perfectly juicy patty and melted pepper jack cheese injected inside of the patty exuded an amazingly succulent flavor.

In addition to their regular offerings, Babs actually had a food challenge that I regret not trying to this day. This challenge involved eating a burger called the "Number 11". This burger was even spicier than the White Hot Burger. My own cousin told me his entire body perspired when he had attempted the challenge. I could just imagine the extraordinary burning session this burger could have given me. I'm confident that I could have beaten the Number 11, especially after surviving through the Carolina Reaper. Unfortunately, I will never have the opportunity to conquer this challenge.

Overshadowed in a domain ruled by Asian cuisine, it's easy to say that Babs could not be as successful as its neighbors. Yet, it's hard to suggest that to be the real reason why Babs permanently closed down. The burgers were simply too good for Babs to close down for a reason like that. I won't dwell too much on the reasons. However, it is a crying shame that I may never experience this aspect of my childhood ever again.