SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Since it closed in April of this year, fans of Thai on Ski Run have been waiting for it to reopen. That time has come!
Oliver and Thanya Starr opened the doors on Monday night to their new establishment, Kung Pao Hustle at 2100 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. The new quick-service restaurant features mainly Chinese but also offers the top 25 items from Thai on Ski Run until their next restaurant, South Tahoe Thai, opens in the next few months.
The Starrs bought the building from Charlie and Karen Hamilton. Over the past few decades, it has been A & W, Rigoberto’s, and Chicken in a Barrel. They cleared out the kitchen, set it up for Chinese and Thai cooking, painted, and are still finishing some final touches, including beautification and new outside seating. Oliver said they will add some EV charging stations since the parking is covered. The new outside signs are not in yet, but a temporary banner went up Monday night just after the doors opened.
The concept for Kung Pao Hustle is quick service with food made to order. All food is made “to go,” but customers can sit and enjoy it at the inside or outside tables. Oliver said they went to several Chinese restaurants to check out operations and noticed many customers ended up taking their unfinished plated meals home in to-go containers. He said it didn’t make environmental sense – why have dishes, wash them, and end up still using the containers?
Within ten minutes of opening, Kung Pao Hustle had its first DoorDash order, and just a few minutes after that, a woman living nearby came to place an order. She said she’d been watching the activity at the building and was waiting for the “Open” light to turn on.
“South Lake Tahoe needed another excellent Chinese option,” said Oliver on their opening. He said they will satisfy their Thai on Ski run customers as well as fans of Chinese food.
Tanya says there are plenty of items that can be made for those who are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. She said she can modify many items since she uses vegetable broth.
Some of the former staff from Ski Run are now with them at the new site. The Starrs helped provide lodging for them while they weren’t employed.
This week is a soft opening, and their hours at the start will be 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. More menu items will be available each day. Right now, their old website https://www.thaionskirun.com/ is still active, and things will be moved over to a new website soon. DoorDash will have the daily menu posted.
The Starrs also bought the old home of League to Save Lake Tahoe, adjacent to the mid-town 7-11. The process of converting it into South Tahoe Thai will take about three or four more months, as they are required to add some ADA features and drains needed for restaurants, along with other remodeling. The plans have been submitted to the City. When it opens, the Thai on Ski Run menu currently at Kung Pao Hustle will be moved over to the new restaurant.
