Steak House in LAX International Terminal smashes potatoes and expectations

On a recent trip from San Francisco to Boston I had a layover in Los Angeles' LAX and since I don't fly through that airport often decided to explore. Luckily the terminal my connection was in was just adjacent to the Tom Brady international terminal and it wasn't necessary to go through security again in order to check it out.

My philosophy is that if you have some time to kill during a layover you may as well put it to good use either by exiting the airport and exploring its host city, for longer layovers, or at least by taking a stroll through the different terminals. Many times you will find public art exhibits, aviation history exhibits and other interesting installations in addition to the expected smattering of restaurants, food and travel accessory vendors.

In any case I was really impressed by the LAX international terminal's architecture as well as some of the thoughtful touches they incorporated to make travel a little easier such as integrated napping stations, charging stations for electronics, etc.

Once you are in the terminal you will find a large 2nd level mezzanine which looks out over the ground level and hosts a couple of restaurants and bars as well as some public space for people watching, including the III Forks restaurant.

Initially I was drawn to their bar where they were featuring tall glasses of Stella Artois on tap, but quickly after seeing and, more importantly, smelling the food order that was delivered to the diner beside me, decided to make an order of my own. I went with a slices strip steak with a side of garlic smashed potatoes and sauteed spinach and it was cooked to perfection. As I write this I am salivating! The meat as well as the sides were just delicious and prepared masterfully.

The prices might be a bit on the high side, I think glasses of Stella and the above mentioned entree with two sides ran about $60 US, but for an airport venue with its built in taxes and assumed higher price, plus the amazing quality of the food prep, I had no complaints. The restaurant is in a fun atmosphere brought their A-game to the table and enjoying a great meal during a little downtime in the airport was just what I needed to get my feet under me for the rest of the trip!