LAX to Become Foodie Paradise?
If you've never been to LAX, it's tough to convey to you the precise degree to which the food options spectacularly blow. This Chowhound thread, where a discussion of tolerable LAX restaurants turns into a debate over whether you should flee the airport by rental car or taxi, should help you get started ("the quality of the food at LAX is criminal... LAX ranks among the worst" airports). Heathrow has a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. LAX has four McDonalds's, three Burger Kings, and two of those Home Turf Sports Bars where you can double your vodka for only $2. Not a bad deal, but still.
Now a coalition of Los Angeles restaurant owners and civic leaders is gearing up to change all that. A meeting in downtown last week brought together fourteen of the city's most respected and successful eatery owners, the intention being to turn LAX's food options upside down. From high-end steaks to niche Latin options to sushi that's safe to eat even before a 6 hour flight, the hope of the SSP group is to totally transform the airport's reputation, and to do it with a Los Angeles flair. All of the new eateries will in some way be tied to established local institutions like Nick & Stef's Steakhouse or the Border Grill.
Unfortunately the plan only seems to affect Terminals 4, 5, 7, and 8. So international travelers flying out to Bradley are still going to be stuck with crappy fast food options, plus that overflowing Daily Grill outpost. US Air and Southwest fliers are also getting no relief, since it looks like that that idiotic McDonald's that makes Terminal 1 impassable isn't going anywhere. "Hey, let's put the only breakfast place in the terminal on one side of a narrow bottleneck, and then let's make the line go straight outward." Terrific.
If this project gains traction, though, who knows? Maybe those other terminals will be next. Then they'll have to find more LA-centric restaurants.
What restaurants do you think should be included? LAX already has a Pink's and In-N-Out is a pretty obvious next choice. But what comes after that? Roscoe's? The various El Cholo restaurants? Something else? Sound off in the comments with your choices.
[Photo: Yoshimasa Niwa]
Related Stories:
· Chefs Stage an 'Eat In' to Showcase the Culturally-Resonant Future of Dining at LAX [LAist]
· Airport Food [Jaunted]
· Los Angeles Travel [Jaunted]
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