**** Bao's has closed
The reach of food and travel television is quite long…..shows that glorify eating the equivalent of an aircraft carrier or where the host eats a live Scarabaeus viettei, then sneeringly tells you, "you know, I've eaten bugs all over the world, but this one…..". Though, I have eaten my share of interesting things so I guess I'm just as guilty! Both Primanti Brothers style sandwiches and the burger known as the Jucy Lucy are two of what would be cult/local favorites that have been plastered all over the airwaves. Well, if you want a facsimile of either of these you can just head up to Convoy and The B-Spot, ummm, well it used to be the "B" but now it's Bao's Awesome Burger's and Sandwiches…aka BABS.
Anyway, the first time I dropped by, it was the B-Spot, the next time it was Bao's (more on that at the end).
Food Network was going strong on the television, so it's pretty clear where this shop is getting its inspiration. The young man manning the front counter was very nice and friendly. I'm assuming he's one of the owners. There's a Dietz and Watson placard on the counter and the salesman happened to be there as well, so I'm assuming that's the brand of meat they are carrying. The young man suggested the sandwich they call "The Beast" ($7.99). It was indeed a pretty hefty looking sandwich:
And it is packed with a good amount of mixed meat, but since I usually cut my sandwiches in half I press it down slightly and there was quite a bit of "give" to this one. I did wish that they got better quality plastic cutlery as the first plastic knife bent and snapped in half as I tried to cut the sandwich. The meats were decent quality, they look to have been heated on a flat-top to add charred edges and such. I like the seasoning on the fries, there seems to almost be a mild five-spice flavor to them. The coleslaw was basically flavorless and much too watery.
Still, the amount of food is fairly generous and that young man was very friendly. So while the sandwiches really didn't warrant another visit I thought I'd drop by again.
This time there was a young woman working the front….who, well, was not quite as friendly, nor helpful. I asked her about the chicken wings, she looked at me and said, "it's chicken wings…..you know, chicken wings…." I thought about some snappy response like, "no, I haven't met them….could we be introduced." But I could tell she just wasn't in the mood for dealing with people. Which is unfortunate, because, well….I don't even need to explain that to you. Anyway, I ordered "The Rachel". Which is basically the same sandwich as the Beast, but with pastrami.
This experience was not quite as pleasant as the previous one. And wouldn't you know it, I broke that darned plastic knife while cutting my sandwich in half again. The pastrami was very tough and full of gristle. Several pieces had been burned as well. 
For some reason the tomatoes tasted a bit weird, but other than being severely under-ripe I couldn't detect anything wrong with them. The bread also seemed a bit stale and I had thoughts about asking the young woman at the counter….but based on the previous attitude and her stare as I walked to the counter to pick up my second flimsy plastic knife I decided to just suck it up and leave the premises ASAP.
Oh, and as you can tell, the sandwich is pretty darn greasy……
I'm not quite sure what's with the Jekyl and Hyde service, but perhaps it was just a bad day.
A few weeks back, I asked an acquaintance from "The Burgh" about BABS Primanti style sandwiches…..he refused to discuss it at length, but did refer me to this post. He also mentioned that the coleslaw at BABS doesn't have enough vinegar in it among other things…..and as a parting shot told me to check out this website as the reason for the sudden name change. I've never had a chance to visit Pittsburgh, so I've not had a Primanti's Brothers sandwich so I can only speak to my own personal preference. Overall, a bit too greasy for my tastes….
Bao's Awesome Burgers and Sandwiches
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
And for those folks who really think this is a huge sandwich….you can travel a bit further East on the 8 and get something that looks like this….
It's not that great either….but it makes what BABS serve look like Lean Cuisine.