One of the partners behind Dirt Dog, the “Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles” that has recently broken into Las Vegas with several locations serving stunning specialty hot dogs, Kenny Dang has been looking to experiment with the potato ever since a vendor showed him the basics, making a baked potato with carne asada.
“I was trying to build a different concept,” Dang said when he spoke to What Now Las Vegas last week. “And he said, let me help you out. I’ll show you how my family used to do it. He taught me the basics and I took it from there.”
The result was Rock N’ Potato, which first opened as a three-month experiment on Downey Ave in Paramount, CA, where Dang took a season to test out some potato varieties. The potatoes were topped decadently and became hugely popular in the small town. They included the Asada “King” (steak, white cheese, green salsa, pineapple pico, sour cream, guacamole) and the “Chuck Berry” Fried Chicken (fried chicken tenders, sausage gravy, honey). But most popular of all was “Fleetwood” Mac, with lobster mac and cheese, rotini pasta, lobster bisque cheese sauce, and the option to upgrade with a lobster tail.
“That one always sold out,” Dang said.
Rock music, too, was part of the picture from the beginning. “I was trying to think of a theme,” Dang explained. “And [Chef Andrea] loves rock music. At Dirt Dog, I always played hip hop, and when I go out I hardly see classic rock.”
With that, the brand was complete, and after meeting with considerable success in Paramount, Dang knew he was onto something.
“The whole community was in love with it. It just didn’t make sense on the business side,” Dang said, describing Rock N’ Potato’s short stay in Paramount. “I love Vegas, and I wanted to be on the Strip.”
Rockin’ Potato is planning to open on April 1, in suite 206 at 3785 S Las Vegas Blvd.
