Joe Francis is back in L.A. and ready to get back to work -- after he gets a nice long cry. And a decent meal!

TMZ caught up with the "Girls Gone Wild" honcho with a comely young woman at LAX last night, complaining about jail cuisine and promising to never go back to Bay County, Fla., where he was first jailed almost a year ago. He's a free man now, having struck a plea deal with the State's Attorney there to clean up his legal mess there once and for all.

Incidentally, Joe called TMZ as he sat down for his first after-court meal, and guess who was sitting at the next table at a Panama City BBQ joint -- the State's Attorney, Steve Meadows!