SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A new restaurant from the owners of Thai on Ski Run are spicing up the dining scene in South Lake Tahoe. Kung Pao Hustle, a quick-service Chinese food spot, officially opened its doors on Monday, August 18, offering locals and visitors a fast and flavorful option.

Owners Oliver and Thanya Starr started the restaurant project after purchasing the former Chicken in a Barrel building in April. The concept, they said, has always been in the back of their minds: a modern, made-to-order Chinese restaurant that emphasizes speed without compromising flavor.

“We felt like there was an opportunity to do really good Chinese food up here,” said Oliver. “It’s a to-go model, and we wanted something quick, fun and playful.”

The name pays homage to the cult-classic martial arts comedy “Kung Fu Hustle,” with the restaurant’s branding reflecting a bold, lighthearted spirit.

Opening with a soft launch to start will give the restaurant time to learn the flow and wrap its arms around all the offerings, ultimately growing into their full menu heading into the Labor Day weekend. The lineup will feature Chinese dishes created by Thanya, who also serves as the head chef and leads the day-to-day kitchen operations.

The menu will also feature the 25 most popular menu items from their previous restaurant (Thai on Ski Run) as they wait for their second restaurant project, South Lake Thai, to be completed.

That restaurant, located in the old League to Save Lake Tahoe building, has seen some delays in the permitting and construction process, prompting the couple to move forward with Kung Pao Hustle to keep their team together and continue serving the community.

“We’ll take our most highly trained people and bring them over there, and then we’ll have an operational manager here to make sure we train people to do both, and we’ll move people back and forth,” added Oliver.

Looking ahead, the couple says they hope to make the outdoor seating more comfortable and cozy. They’re also looking to add some additional landscaping as well as EV chargers.

“We’re looking at putting EV chargers under the canopy. Especially with Aster Station going away, there aren’t a lot of good options to charge your EV under a protective canopy,” said Oliver.

But for now, Kung Pao Hustle will run as a dedicated quick serve operation, with two registers and separate pickup areas for delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats and focusing on fine-tuning the menu and delivering quick, consistent service.

As for community support, Thanya said within the first 10 minutes of opening they already had orders coming in.

“Everyone’s so excited,” she said. “People love our food, and they’ve been waiting for us to bring this back.”

“We’re really excited to serve our community with this new cuisine and bring back our favorites. We’re happy to be back and grateful for the support.”

Kung Pao Hustle is located at 2100 Lake Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe, CA. For more information about the restaurant and menu items, you can reach them by phone at 530-420-8424.