A small group of protesters gathered across the street from Patina in downtown Los Angeles this morning to express their discontent with the high-priced menus of the restaurants currently vying for a spot in the new at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) food court. Chefs and owners from more than a dozen of the city's most popular restaurants gathered for an “Eat In” at Patina to preview their new airport cuisine and urge the Los Angeles City Board of Referred Powers to approve a proposal to serve their air fare to millions of travelers at LAX.

Two dozen students and community members stood on the corner of 1st Street and Grand Avenue occasionally chanting “Affordable food for working families.” Some held handmade signs that read “Working Families Can't Afford New LAX!” and “We Need Family Based Flavor.” Raina Castro, a junior at Citrus College said she came out to protest because the restaurants are “too expensive for Los Angeles.” “We need something affordable, like Subway,” she said. “Families and travelers don't have money. One hundred dollars a plate is expensive.”

Based on the list of restaurants posted outside of Patina this morning, it wasn't clear that the plan for the new LAX food court necessarily excludes more affordable menus. Koreatown's Park's BBQ, local Mexican restaurant La Serenata de Garibaldi, Geisha House and Bertha's Soul Food were a listed alongside LA MILL, Border Grill and Nancy Silverton's Sputino.

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