At the Town Hall Grill in Chapel Hill there is only one shade of blue.
"I've always been a UNC fan, for thirty years now," restaurant owner David Sadeghi said.
Sadeghi owns the Town Hall Grill as well as several Town Hall Burger and Beer restaurants around the triangle. The restaurants fit the character of their location and in Chapel Hill you'll find Tar Heel memorabilia every where you look. From a Hubert Davis signed basketball to R.J. Davis signed and game worn shoes.
"There are Tar Heel die hards here," Sadeghi said. "They are here going crazy on game day." The Carolina craziness even extends to the menu.
"I had a friend who owned a restaurant in Baltimore," Sadeghi remembered. "We discussed NIL and he goes 'hey listen you know Armando [Bacot]?' I said 'yeah I've seen him play.' He said 'I've got a contact, why don't we get together and get him on NIL?'"
In June of 2021 states became allowed to create their own rules regulating college athletes ability to profit off their name, image and likeness. By September of that year Sadeghi had a deal in place with Bacot and the "Mondo Burger" was born. On the menu it's listed as a certified angus beef patty, hand breaded onion straws, applewood smoked bacon, smoked gouda cheese, barbeque sauce and lettuce on a locally baked brioche bun. Bacot himself helped design the recipe.
"I wanted to make something unique," Bacot said. "So when people come here it's something they can remember."
The "Mondo Burger" isn't listed on every one of Sadeghi's restaurants menus but you can order it regardless. Since the birth of Bacot's burger he's also collaborated with UNC's Leaky Black for Leaky's Lockdown Chicken Tenders and with R.J. Davis on a Cajun Shrimp Burrito. Sadeghi is considering continuing to sell the items even after the players leave UNC.
"The population loves it," Sadeghi said. "As long as there is a heat on the name of UNC and these players we will continue serving it. I don't think we are ever going to take the Mondo Burger off."
During an off stretch for Carolina basketball I sat down with Bacot himself to try one.
"You've got the rebounding record, a national championship appearance, your jersey will probably end up in the UNC rafters, but your own burger... That's immortality right there," I joked to him. Bacot gave it right back.
"One hundred percent," Bacot laughed. "That's my biggest accomplishment to this date."
The energy and effort it takes to make the "Mondo Burger" would make Hubert Davis proud. I got a look in the kitchen as a couple were prepared for Bacot and I to eat. Sadeghi prides himself on having his kitchen approach the burger the same way he would from his days at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. The burger patty is pan seared on a flat top, then finished on a grill. The meat is cooked to temperature while the gouda is melted over butter and the bun toasted. The BBQ is drizzled over the onion straws making for an instagram worthy stack. Bacot said he eats about one a week.
"I do it day before the games," Bacot said. "It's good luck you know."
As the burgers are placed before us, I can't help but serve up a cheesy question.
"What tasted sweeter, spoiling Coach K's final game at Cameron, or sending him into early retirement at the final four?" I ask.
"I would say winning at Duke," Bacot said after a pause to think. "None of it was about us, rightfully so because it was Coach K's last game, obviously he's one of the greatest coaches not just in college basketball, but in sports. Everybody had written us off, just to go in there and win, especially when they had all their [former] players back it was amazing."
"If Hubert Davis had a burger or sandwich named after him, what would it be?" I ask going rapid fire now so the burgers don't get cold.
"Something without cheese, he doesn't eat cheese," Bacot said. "He'll get a pizza and have marinara sauce on it..."
"Without cheese?" I interrupt in disbelief.
"It's the craziest thing ever," Bacot finished.
As we take our first bite the gouda, onion straws and BBQ flavors mix together perfectly highlighted by the light and crispy brioche bun. Bacot's taste in fashion extends to the kitchen as well.
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