Grub: WWII and Techies.

Forget the talk of the dot-bomb -- The Hump, a tech spot in Santa Monica, is home to fresh sushi, tech meets

BRIAN Vidor opened The Hump restaurant three years ago as a paean to pilots and the planes they flew over the Himalayas during World War II. Ceiling fans shaped like airplane propellers whirl away. Pebbles cover the floor, creating a cobblestone effect. The ceiling is made of sea grass and mahogany, lending an exotic grass hut feel to the room.

But never mind all that: The Hump has become a favorite haunt for techies meeting for a quick lunch or a long dinner.

Jake Winebaum, who co-founded eCompanies with Sky Dayton and was president of Disney Online, likes the place for its sushi and bird's eye view of Runway 21 at Santa Monica Airport, where the restaurant is located in an administration building. John Payne, the former chief executive of Stamps.com, was a frequent visitor who liked the Japanese cuisine and the intimate atmosphere of the place, which has only seven tables and 16 seats at the sushi bar.

"I've eaten a lot of sushi at The Hump," said Dave Dreyer, director of marketing for Stamps.com, whose offices are located blocks away at a business park. "Any time we have a business meeting, we are always at The Hump."

Techies frequent the restaurant mainly because of its sushi. Creations are directed by executive chef Shunji Nakao from Japan. Also drawing diners are the nine kinds of sake and the Japanese beer.

Vidor, who also owns the restaurant Typhoon located one floor below, isn't much of a techie himself. His interest lies in flying airplanes and helicopters. He opened Typhoon in 1991 after landing a helicopter in front of the airport's administration building and seeing a sign advertising a restaurant space available for rent.

Vidor had never been in the restaurant business before he opened Typhoon and The Hump. But he had traveled around the world, eating at sushi bars in Japan, and dining on Asian delicacies in Burma and Thailand.

He grew up in L.A. where his father, Charles Vidor, was a famous movie director who worked with stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Myrna Loy and James Cagney.

Even though he didn't have much experience running a restaurant, he had two brothers in the business to advise him. One brother used to own the Tavern-on-the-Green in New York City.

Another brother owned five restaurants in Portland, Ore., before he passed away recently.

Over the years, Vidor has had various jobs and interests. After studying classical guitar and music at Pepperdine University, he toured for 12 years as a bass guitarist with various rock bands, eating his share of bad food in various dives along the tours.

For several years he worked in Asia and Africa as an international animal broker, shipping exotic animals to zoos around the world.

"When I came back from Asia, I was always looking for a good sushi bar like they had in Japan, where the bars are often small and more intimate than the ones here," said Vidor. "So I guess I was ready to take the plunge."