SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Friday, February 16, new Mexican-American fusion restaurant, Elements Eatery and Bar, opened its doors for dinner service for the very first time. The challenge: they didn’t know they would be able to open until 12:10 p.m. that very day.
Co-owner Travis Rougier said they had been waiting on permits but once they got the call, it was all hands on deck.
“We had beautiful people who were all ready to go and they came in as soon as we called. We had a full kitchen staff and full front-of-the-house crew within 30 minutes. It was amazing … and on a Friday.”
Rougier, who owns the restaurant with partners Gaby Chavez, Drew Rabb, and Andy Zeinert, said they did not expect that first night to be full, but they managed to sell out of everything. That momentum kept going into the next morning and hasn’t stopped since.
The restaurant is cozy and bright with a seamless blend of Mexican and Tahoe aesthetics. However, it had to go through quite a bit of change to get it to its current state.
“It’s an old building. It used to be Red Lion and then Bear Beach Café – there was no bar, just a counter, and the ceiling was right above the windows,” added Rougier. “The bones are just so nice. The line and the dish pit are two things I fell in love with the most. Once I saw that, I knew we could make something happen here.”
The bar got a wrap around extension, the ceiling knocked out to reveal open beams, and live edge wood tables are scattered throughout. Rougier said they wanted to take a similar approach to Chevys in that you know what you’re walking in to and what level of food you’re going to get – and it’s going to be fun.
One quick glance at the menu, and you quickly get a sense of what kind of fun Rougeir is talking about. Items like their Pastor Reuben, which uses freshly carved meat from their vertical spit, or the Mexican Hot Dog are takes on friendly dishes, but with their unique spin.
“A lot of people have never had a hot dog the way they do it in Mexico – it gets cooked on the plancha right on the streets with peppers,” said Rougier. “And our Street Fries sound crazy, but once somebody sees them go out, they want to try it for themselves.”
While Rougier said the restaurant focuses on everything made fresh in-house, right down to the tortillas, he also knows that in Tahoe it has to be food that’s approachable and something that everyone is willing to try. He noted his past experience showed him that Tahoe could be a difficult place to be risqué with a menu.
“People in Tahoe want to go eat, and want it to be good, but it still has to be something that they know – it needs to be fun and comfortable,” added Rougier. “Just having a kids menu makes it so much easier for a parent – that’s really important as well.”
Rougier noted that with each of the partners all having young families themselves; it gives them additional purpose outside of the restaurant. And with each of the partners having their role, they fill in the cornerstones of the business, something Rougier likens to a dream team.
“Gabby and I started at the farmers market five years ago in town. That started us to open a coffee shop together, but we always wanted to open a restaurant. We told them [Drew and Andy] if they ever wanted to go in on something together, they’d be interested. And when we were looking at this, they saw it and said let’s do this.”
The dream team doesn’t just extend to the partners.
“The people we have, I’m lucky to have them as employees. I really am because these people waited for us and a lot of them dropped everything they were doing to come back to us – it’s amazing,” said Rougier. “I love that the four of us get to support all these other families. I want to share some of that love we have for our own families and this family we’re creating here. When you walk into a place you can feel it. There are certain restaurants and bars that you go to when to walk in it just feels right and that’s what I want this to be.”
Creating that type of vibe is something Rougier and the partners are focused on – not just for visitors, but locals as well.
“Yes, you have to rely on tourism, but I want it to be a local place. I want locals to be fine with coming here more than once a month – maybe once a week. I want it to be the place that just feels safe, comfortable and good to be around with good people.”
Rougier knows that ultimately what it comes down to is putting out consistent food all the time and having a staff that can handle the general rush of the business. But so far, it all seems to be falling into place.
He also noted that other restaurant owners have stopped by to say hi or ask if there’s anything that they need help with while expressing their joy to see somebody else open up.
“It’s such a beautiful community and I’m lucky to be part of it.”
For more information about Elements Eatery and Bar, visit them online at elementstahoe.com or reach them by phone at 530-650-9004.
