Usually I try to avoid having to purchase any sort of food or drink at the airport. Besides being overpriced, the food--even simple things--tends to be so bad that it can take the joy out of being alive. This has happened to me recently with such comestibles as a sandwich from the La Brea bakery outlet in Los Angeles--if mustard had been slathered on a piece of particle board, I couldn't have told the difference.The same often goes for cocktails, which are always bad and made of artificial things. So if forced into drinking, I opt for a beer, even though it's not hard to tell that most airport bars have never cleaned their beer lines. But sometimes you've got to succumb . . .

Thus, facing an hour and fifteen minute layover one day recently at SFOs terminal 1, I was happy to find the bloody mary at the Go Bistro, near gate 24. The vendor of such bizarre-sounding dishes as an unagi sandwich with fries and Japanese curry with knockwurst, Go Bistro didn't seduce me with its menu. But I was pleased to see the Bloody Mary build from scratch, right before my eyes with pepper, worcestershire sauce, salt, tomato juice and horseradish stirred in with the celery garnish. I asked for mine with gin, as I think it makes a better cocktail, and it was a spicy, satisfying way to prepare myself for a three hour flight. The drinks were a bit pricy at around $9, but that's to be expected at an airport. If you've got other good airport food and drink experiences, let me know, as it would be good to make a list.