Los Angeles Food Trucks
Always ahead of the curve, the newest food trend in Los Angeles is the mobile food truck. Driving around town and bringing upscale street food to the masses, the trucks offer hungry hipsters a chance to chow down on Korean tacos, fancy ice cream sandwiches and ethnic goodies all with a gourmet spin. Most trucks announce their whereabouts to foodie fans via Twitter updates. So grab your smart-phone and hit the road to taste the best on the street in LA.
Buttermilk Truck
Twitter: @ButtermilkTruck
Start your day off right at the Buttermilk Truck, which serves breakfast goodies of all kinds including fluffy buttermilk pancake bites in flavors like red velvet or chocolate chip. Cure a hangover with a sweet and savory fix like fried chicken with homemade cinnamon waffles or a breakfast sandwich of fried eggs and applewood-smoked bacon served, of course, on a buttermilk biscuit.
Nom Nom Truck
Twitter: @nomnomtruck
The Nom Nom Truck brings a taste of Vietnam to West Angeles. The truck's signature food item is 'Banh Mi,' a Vietnamese sandwich filled with barbecue pork, lemongrass chicken or tofu alongside pickled carrots, radishes and homemade scallion oil with mayonnaise. Wash it down with a cool, sweet Vietnamese iced coffee.
Coolhaus
Twitter: @COOLHAUS
This converted postal van serves up ice cream nirvana -- hand-crafted, all-natural ice cream sandwiches. The brainchild of 2 architects, these ice cream treats feature seasonal ice cream flavors like blood orange, chai and white chocolate macadamia sandwiched between 2 tasty homemade cookies of your choice including chocolate chip, ginger or brioche. This neat little package comes wrapped in edible paper making for minimal waste.
DOSAtruck
Twitter: @dosatruck
Expand your culinary horizons with some South Indian street food from the DOSAtruck. A dosa is a delicate crepe made from lentil and rice flour and stuffed with regional favorites. The Slumdog is slathered with Indian pesto and stuffed with paneer cheese, spinach and masala potatoes while Shivas Garden has a distinct California vibe with avocado, caramelized onions and baby heirloom tomatoes.
Frysmith
Twitter: @Frysmith
French fries rise from the ranks of side dish to become the main course on the Frysmith truck. A heaping pile of crisp fries are topped with hearty combinations like all-beef chili made with chocolate and beer or kimchi and pork belly. Vegan chili fries are smothered in organic tomatoes, beans and soy chorizo.
Dim Sum Truck
Twitter: @dimsumtruck
Dim sum is a classic Cantonese style of eating that involves small portions of meat, seafood and veggies served alongside tea during the dining time Americans classify as brunch. The Dim Sum truck carts these tasty Chinese snacks around town including neat little bundles of shu mai, dumplings and pork buns. This food truck breaks tradition with creative concoctions like Peking duck tacos and by extending the dim sum fun late into the evening.
Tasty Meat Truck
Twitter: @tastymeat
The doner kebab may have a few aliases, including gyro and shawarma, but it is the most universally recognized street food served on corners from New York to Athens. The Tasty Meat truck brings this favorite to LA with flat bread filled with seasoned lamb and beef, feta cheese and tzatziki. You can indulge with a hearty lunch or conquer a late-night craving even if you don't eat red meat with the Chickwich.
Komodo
Twitter: @komodofood
One look at the menu and it's clear that Komodo is not your typical taco truck. The signature burrito is a classic combo of top sirloin, guacamole and cotija cheese. More unexpected picks include the cobb salad burrito or the Fish n' Grapes with deep-fried cod tossed with fresh grape salad and pickled onions. For a real flavor explosion, sample the Guacamole Rolls on the side ' a dollop of guac wrapped in a wonton and sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning.
Slice Truck
Twitter: @slicetruck
Hungry for pizza but don't want the whole pie? Enter the Slice Truck, the roving pizza mobile that serves individual slices as well as 18-inch pies. The truck knows its target audience and can usually be found around USC (University of Southern California) into the midnight hour.
Kogi
Twitter: @kogibbq
You probably won't know you're craving a Korean Mexican taco until you taste the goodness of spicy pork tacos or kimchi quesadillas. There are short-rib sliders with sesame mayo and grilled Hebrew National dogs topped with short ribs, jalape��os, salsa and sesame seeds. Round out the meal with a sweet treat of chocolate tres leches, a sticky and spicy peanut brittle with toffee, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and 2 childhood cereal favorites -- Cocoa Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Don Chow
Twitter: @donchowtacos
What do you get when you combine Chinese food with classic Mexican fare? Don Chow serves fusion tacos blending the best of these 2 favorites. Tacos are filled with Chinese barbecue pork, onions, cilantro and salsa. Burritos are stuffed with soy ginger tofu or shrimp and pico de gallo and avocado. Another harmonious combination is the chimale, a Chinese-Mexican tamale filled with Chinese-inspired meats like Kung Pao chicken.
Grill `Em All
Twitter: @GrillEmAllTruck
Heavy metal and hamburgers collide on the Grill `Em All truck. The hard-rocking creative team, a professional chef and a former professional wrestler, work together to serve badass burgers. The Behemoth is a burger sandwiched between grilled cheese buns with smoked cheddar, beer soaked onions and applewood-smoked bacon. Sides include the tater tot of the day and fries with truffle oil.
