Dat Dog set for Baton Rouge expansion

Dat Dog, a New Orleans-based franchise chain that specializes in gourmet hot dogs, has signed a lease for the first of three locations in Baton Rouge.

Franchisee David Halpern and his nephew, Teva Sempel, are opening the 3,000-square-foot restaurant at Arlington Marketplace near Louisiana State University, according to a company press release. Both New Orleans attorneys, Halpern and Sempel are committed to opening two additional locations in the Baton Rouge area over the next couple of years and expect the first to open in time for the LSU football season.

"Dat Dog is different. It's a fresh concept, and we're very excited to bring a little bit of offbeat New Orleans to Baton Rouge," Halpern said in the release. "The concept's vibrant atmosphere, late-night hours and, of course, its hot dogs will no doubt bring additional vibrancy to the campus and introduce students to an entirely new dining experience."

The Dat Dog menu features a menu of Hot Dogs, sausages (crawfish, alligator and duck), burgers and chicken, in addition to the traditional beef wiener. The menu for the Baton Rouge locations will be mostly the same as the New Orleans restaurants, but there may be some tweaks to add Baton Rouge specific items, according to the release.

In the future, Halpern and Sempel hope to have a Dat Dog food truck open for tailgates, catering and other events.

"Dat Dog is a place where amazing and affordable food, fun loving staff and bright colors provide you with a sanctuary of joy from the moment you cross its threshold. Combining the soul of Louisiana with the sophistication of Europe, our artfully crafted cuisine of hot dogs and sausages are a thing of beauty," said Constantine Georges, founder of Dat Dog. "I have no doubt that the people of Baton Rouge will love our quirky culture — along with our crazy delicious dogs."

Dat Dog's expansion into Baton Rouge comes one year after the brand announced its intentions to expand across the South through franchising and corporate owned restaurants. Dat Dog would like to see "about 40 to 50" restaurants open up in the next five years in an area stretching from Texas to Florida.