"Welcome to the 1984 Olympics"

That's how the Wall Street Journal describes the vibe these days at our very own Los Angeles International Airport, which hasn't undergone a major facelift since Tom Bradley was mayor and Mary Lou Retton was competing at the Summer Games here.

LAX was one of 15 stops made by the Wall Street Journal, as writer Conor Dougherty braved his stomach to critique the nation's airport cuisine.

And it wasn't pretty. As you've probably noticed, most airport eateries are of the greasy fast food variety -- although Dougherty found a few diamonds in the rough, including at LAX.

Here in town, Dougherty was impressed by the space-age vibe of LAX's Encounter restaurant, and also dug Jody Maroni's tequila-chicken sausage with grilled peppers (terminal 6) and El Cholo Cantina's tortilla soup.

However, for the most part he's unimpressed with the airport's fare. For starters, other than the options at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the pickings are slim. And you're stuck with the choices where you are, as each terminal has separate security and are spaced too far apart. Most screwed: American Airlines fliers, as Terminal 4, where most of that carrier's flights originate, only holds five eateries -- the most elaborate being a small Chili's outpost. Yuck.

The paper elaborates:

LAX is the world's No. 1 departure airport, with more travelers beginning their trips here than at any other airport. It may have one of the most iconic airport restaurants around, Encounter, with its control-tower look, Jetsons-like exterior arches and a martini list with drinks like the Bossa Supernova. But this airport could use a face lift: Only three of the facility's nine terminals have been remodeled since 1990, and most of the buildings haven't changed much since the airport was expanded before the 1984 Olympics. Food courts are scarce (there's one before security at the international terminal) and there's no tram or subway to ferry fliers between terminals.

Our neighbor to the north fared better, as San Francisco's airport received high marks; others earning decent praise included Newark.

(Link via LA.COMfidential.)