Proud Bird Restaurant
by Wendy Purdy
Do you love planes? Do your kids love planes? Would they enjoy an up-close view of planes landing at or taking off from Los Angeles International Airport? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, have I got a restaurant for you: Proud Bird...just down the street from Los Angeles Air Force Base.
Plane display
I would definitely classify the Proud Bird as a theme restaurant. In addition to the fantastic view of the LAX runways, it offers a large outdoor display area featuring different types of aircraft. Holly and I closely inspected several of them. Signs stationed around the area instruct you not to climb on the planes.
Inside the Restaurant
The back of the restaurant features floor-to-ceiling glass windows so you can watch the LAX traffic while you eat. Outdoor patio seating is also available. In addition to the main dining area, the restaurant contains a bar section and rooms that can be rented for special events. Perhaps the best interior features, though, are the numerous displays recounting aviation and space history. I didn't have time to look at all the displays, but the Tuskegee Airmen and Space X sections were very interesting.
The Food
It seems a little odd to write about a restaurant and talk about the food near the end. So, I will repeat that the food, at least for me, is not the main draw. Proud Bird operates in a "food court" arrangement. You can order several different types of food divided between two stations. You place your order and receive a buzzer that will alert you when the food is ready. Personally, I ordered the chicken and waffles. The chicken was tasty, but the waffles were a tad cold. Since the butter was also cold, I faced quite the dilemma in spreading it appropriately. The folks in the group who ordered barbecue enjoyed their selections, and Holly reported that her pizza was good.
