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And now for something completely different! While Kim and I were in Los Angeles recently, the shuttle bus taking
us to our rental car from LAX drove by a restaurant right by the end of the southern runways. What made
this restaurant different was the fact that the courtyard and parking lot were full of airplanes - P-51s, Corsairs, Dauntlesses,
and more. We made a date to eat lunch there before heading back to the airport for our return flight.
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| An aviation lover's gastronomic delight: the view out the window as we ate lunch. |
As we pulled into the parking lot and parked under an F4U-1A, we saw that the restaurant was called The Proud Bird.
The Proud Bird was founded by noted warbird collector David Tallichet in 1963, and claims to be the 8th largest private aviation
museum in the world. Aside from the restaurant itself, there is an attached banquet hall (the Tuskegee Room).
Thanks to the beautiful southern California weather, eating on the outdoor patio is an option year-around.
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| An American Airlines 777 on final approach to LAX while another aircraft pulls out behind. |
There are approximately fifteen aircraft on outdoor display, ranging from a First World War-vintage Fokker D.VII and
SPAD XIII through World War II veterans such as a Bf-109G, P-47, Spitfire, and Avenger to a few jets, including a MiG15, F-86, F-80,
and an A-4 Skyhawk. While a number of the aircraft are replicas, they are still quite convincing, and they certainly
look the part.
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| The very pleasant interior is full of aviation memorabilia and vintage photos. |
The aviation theme does not stop at the Proud Bird's front door. The walls are (tastefully) plastered with aviation
memorabilia reflecting the rich heritage of southern California, including many hundreds of photographs of famous test pilots.
Don't walk too quickly when you're going to the washroom! There is lots to see if you just take the time to look at
the walls.
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| Among the aircraft on display outside is this full-scale replica of the Bell X-1. |
Did we mention that the Proud Bird also serves food? You can get lunch and dinner there every day, while a Sunday
brunch is also available. The cuisine is traditional American fare, done very well. Casual dress in appropriate
for this fine dining venue.
The Proud Bird is a great restaurant for the airplane enthusiast, both inside and out. The food is great and reasonably
priced (at least for LA), the service is outstanding, and the ambience is unbeatable! Highly recommended if you are
in the Los Angeles area.
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