By Joshua Lurie
For dineLA.com
Legendary architect Paul R. Williams helped design the spider-like Theme Building, which debuted in August 1961 inside the LAX loop. The iconic structure utilizes 135-foot-high parabolic arches and 900 tons of skeletal steel. Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services and minority partner Connie Bass opened Encounter in 1997. Eddie Sotto and Ellen Guevara spearheaded Walt Disney Imagineering’s space-age redesign, which includes colorful curves and cutouts, lava lamps and decorative glasswork. You’ll find the occasional pilot and spectacular views of takeoffs and landings. Encounter’s eclectic menu includes wild mushroom ravioli with Oregon goat cheese and pan-seared bluefin tuna with charbroiled pineapple. When retrofitting is complete this September, Encounter will re-launch an outdoor light program and reopen a top-floor observation deck that closed due to 9/11.
209 World Way, Los Angeles, 310.215.5151
In 1991, pilot Brian Vidor was on the hunt for fuel at Santa Monica Airport when he saw a sign that read, “Restaurant Space For Lease.” He immediately leased the corrugated metal-lined space and opened Typhoon, a pan-Asian restaurant that’s notorious for its insect dishes. On the upstairs observation deck, Vidor opened The Hump in 1998, specializing in seasonal omakase and stunning views of the tarmac and the Santa Monica Mountains. The Hump is aviators’ slang for the Himalayas. With that in mind, artist Scott Boren crafted an etched-glass panel behind the mahogany bar that depicts a miniscule plane set against the perilous Asian mountain range. Chefs Kyoshiro Yamamoto, Yoji Tajima and Ken Yamamoto (no relation) construct exquisite dishes like conch soup served in the shell and torched toro with uni, wasabi stem sauce and gold leaf.
3221 Donald Douglas Loop S., Santa Monica, 310.313.0977
LGO Hospitality’s market-driven café occupies a Santa Fe Depot railway depot that dates back to 1935. Designer Kristofer Keith highlighted the original wall tiles, light fixtures and cedar ceiling with a festive color scheme. An open kitchen is situated behind the depot’s old ticket counter. LGO founder Bob Lynn added a hand-painted pronouncement over the counter proclaiming, “Food is Love.” In back, you’ll find an African mahogany bar and huge windows that frame passing Gold Line trains. Executive Chef Jorge Gomez adheres to Lynn’s imperative that “cooking is honest and from scratch,” with ingredients that are never frozen. Boneless pan-fried chicken comes with mashed potatoes, pan gravy, market vegetables and a fresh-baked cinnamon roll. Olive Oil Cake is draped with berry preserves and based on a traditional recipe from olive farmers in southern France who didn’t have butter handy.
260 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626.356.4444
Fred and Grace Cook opened Pacific Dining Car in 1921 on a rented downtown lot, naming it in honor of the Red Car that ran through Los Angeles. The first room was modeled after an actual dining car, including luggage racks, but made wider to allow more comfortable table service. The 24/7 restaurant moved west and expanded, but still specializes in Prime corn-fed beef that’s dry-aged and cut on site. Wes Idol III is the family’s fourth-generation owner, and his ambition is to “exceed the expectations of our customers by not only remaining consistent in the elegance of our service but also accommodating to the developing interests of those we serve.” Prime cuts include the Cowboy Steak, a bone-in ribeye; and the Baseball Steak, a top sirloin cut. Save room for cheesecake.
1310 W. 6th St, Los Angeles, 213.483.6000
Five years ago, Spirit Cruises owner Jayme Wilson purchased Ports O’ Call to complement his harbor cruises. He got a production kitchen, banquet rooms that can accommodate up to 400 people and a 220-seat waterfront restaurant. Unlike restaurants in Malibu, Ports O’ Call fronts an industrial harbor. Regulars check the newspaper to time their visits with ship arrivals and departures, and when the Queen Mary 2 visits, it’s like a holiday. The quarterly menu specializes in seafood, including jambalaya, cioppino and the Seafood Collage - lobster, shrimp, salmon, scallops, mussels and clams in white wine cream sauce. At the destination Sunday brunch, you’re not only welcome to eggs, sushi, seafood and desserts; you also get a free harbor cruise. This summer, it’s a two-hour cruise to Long Beach and back.
Berth 76, San Pedro, 310.833.3553
Since 1997, chef-owner Tara Thomas has delivered seasonal California cuisine inside Downtown’s stunning Union Station (built in 1939). Her goal with the Art Deco restaurant was to “evoke the golden age of train travel without being kitschy.” The lines of the space are clean and classic, with no trace of its newsstand roots. Train travelers are often in a hurry, so Traxx tends to attract destination and pre-theater diners, downtown businesspeople and politicians. Last year, President Obama even held a fundraiser on the courtyard patio. Thomas prepares signature dishes like pan-roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary Gorgonzola crust and potatoes two ways and the house-made rosemary brioche bread pudding with blackberry coulis and whipped cream. Across the way, Traxx Bar is more geared toward commuters who are looking to grab a cocktail, Cubano or Caesar salad on their way home.
800 N. Alameda St, Los Angeles, 213.625.1999
