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LAX's Gourmet Food Court to House--Wait For It--a Food Truck!*
Rendering of planned Food Court and Food Truck run by HMS Host in LAX's Terminal 4
Arriving soon at Los Angeles International Airport's Terminal 4: A Gourmet Food Truck. Yep, you read that right. Capitalizing on a trend that may have peaked in late 2009, HMS Host is planning to include a food truck "parked" inside the terminal's "Gourmet Food Court" that is slated to open in summer 2012.
"The L.A. Gourmet Street Truck will serve up 'seasonally changing ethnic cuisines' and will join a new line-up of six restaurants and cafés serving passengers local fare," explains Terminal U, an air travel site.
All part of the "putting the L.A. back in LAX" zeitgeist sweeping the airport. The Terminal 4 Food Court is said to be modeled off Grand Central Market in Downtown, though, instead of affordable tacos, ice cream, and bulk goods, you can have that really authentic L.A. "ethnic" experience chowing down on what will likely be marked up items from 8 Oz. Burger Bar and Real Food Daily.
Also a touch skeptical about how this globally-oriented but L.A.-centric food court will show off our city's best bites is GrubStreet LA:
But will it really reflect L.A.'s food culture? Eh, not really. It's embracing a trend and giving a few of our eateries a big boost, but really, it's nothing like searching through a huge cardboard box of pork bellies in a Koreatown mall or waiting for pastor to be carved off a spit in a gas station parking lot.
Sure beats the hell out of the greasebomb Whoppers and wan $14 salads being gobbled up by hungry travelers these days before boarding their food-less flights.
*An earlier version of this story stated that Ahn Joo was confirmed as a food truck participant, however a representative has denied that.
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