METAIRIE, LA — Ask customers at Rob’s Rockin’ Dogs in Covington or Dat Dog on Magazine Street about why they eat at the restaurants, and the number one answer will probably be the hot dogs. But these places are more than one trick doggies. You need to stop by on Fridays during Lent and try the fish!
At Rob’s, the Surfer Rock comes with two pieces crispy fried fish, house-made tartar sauce, lemon pico and chives on a bun.
“It gives me an opportunity to make something creative that people like,” said Robert Parker, the restaurant’s owner.
Uptown at Dat Dog, the Sea Dog is a long strip of beer-battered fried cod with onions, tomatoes, homemade tartar sauce and mustard.
“It’s a great dog on Fridays to observe Lent,” says Dat Dog assistant manager Mario Castro.
While it may seem like a no-brainer to offer Lenten meals, they’re not always popular. One local burger joint went into the Lenten season with a Friday special but dropped it from the menu due to lack of interest. Another well-known burger spot doesn’t offer a special Lenten option, according to workers, simply because its burgers are what bring customers in the doors.
At Dat Dog, the Sea Dog is always on the menu but attracts extra attention during lent. As for Rob’s Rockin Dogs, this is the second year for the Surfer Rock, and the owner, Parker, says some customers would like to see it on the menu outside of Lent.
“A lot of people want us to add it to the permanent menu. We’ll see,” he said with a smile.