Posted: Fri, 7 May 2010 01:58 PM - 8,383 Readers

By: Patrick Brendel

For more than 50 years, Ski Shores Café has been a haven for hungry boaters on Lake Austin and a destination point for motorists, bikers and visitors to the nearby Emma Long Metropolitan Park.

Established by Marion Fowler in 1954, the waterfront burger joint closed for renovations at the end of 2009. Ski Shores reopened in April with expanded seating, increased boat docking and a new management team that promises to keep all the good stuff about Ski Shores the same, while improving consistency and adding upgrades.

“We don’t like change. We want to keep Austin weird, keep Austin unique,” said Mark Turner, who along with Rick Engel co-founded Restaurant Freedom, which also owns and operates Austin Java, Little Woodrow’s, Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que and Austin-area Texadelphia restaurants.

Engel, who lives nearby, said he chose the neighborhood partly because of its proximity to Ski Shores Café. The café also helped attract Turner to Austin.

“I remember looking at the sunset, having a burger, having a beer and looking around and saying, ‘Hey, here’s Austin. I’m so glad I moved here.’ That was 17, 18 years ago,” he said.

Things that haven’t changed at Ski Shores include the faded, worn and almost maritime appearance of the restaurant from the road, the imposing cypress and oak canopy above the dining area, and most of the menu’s concession-style staples, such as burgers, chicken tenders, pizza, tacos and wings.

Providing a sampling of the fried appetizers is the Boat Load ($15), a too-good-to-be-good-for-you smorgasbord of large chicken tenders, cheese sticks filled with mozzarella, lightly seasoned French fries, tender okra and Famous O’rings. The basket comes with gravy, honey mustard and ranch.

The “infamous” Scooter Burger ($11.50) still anchors the menu, with two grilled one-third-pound patties, cheese, mayonnaise, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The jalapeños lend a wisp of fire to the substantial burger, but the warmth is complemented by the fresh and crisp vegetables.

The Fowler family still owns the Ski Shores property and is the landlord for Turner and Engel, who now own the Ski Shores concept and paid for the renovations. For the past 13 years, the restaurant was operated by George and Dianne Levy, whose lease expired Dec. 31.

Renovations began at the end of January, and finishing touches were still being made when Ski Shores reopened mid-April. The restaurant now features an updated kitchen, new indoor seating area, new deck, stage with adjacent seating, playscape, more picnic tables, washer pits, wireless internet, table service and an indoor/outdoor bar with beer, liquor and specialty drinks. A newly built fire pit will allow families to roast complimentary s’mores, and an expanded boat docking area has room for 17 boats, including a slip dedicated to “to-go” orders.

Ski Shores is now open seven days a week, all year long. In the next couple of months, Turner and Engel plan to begin offering all-day delivery to the surrounding neighborhood.

“All these are things we don’t believe will take away from the Ski Shores experience, but will enhance it,” Turner said. “We want more people to go there, to go more often, to hang out longer. It’s a wonderful place to be.”

Ski Shores Café
2905 Pearce Road
394-7511
www.skishoresaustin.com

Mon.-Thur. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Fri. 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
Sat.–Sun. 8 a.m.–10 p.m.