Bites Nearby: Westside Food Truck Central

Bored with the same old dining choices? Head over to Westside Food Truck Central, in the parking lot of Core Church on Washington Boulevard and Overland Avenue, for an eclectic array of food choices that is both creative and delicious.

Each weekday, different food trucks convene on this lot, offering everything from Vietnamese sandwiches to pork sliders and Indian curries. You can find out what's on offer each day by visiting the Food Truck Central website to see who’s coming to lunch (Mon.–Fri.) and dinner (Mon. and Wed. only). There are usually four or five food trucks at lunch time and double that number at dinner.

Some of the regular trucks include: Vchos Truck (pupusas and traditional Central American), Lomo Arigato (Peruvian), Ta Bom (the only Brazilian food truck in LA), Barbies Q (barbecue joint on wheels), India Jones Chow Truck (gourmet Indian street food), the infamous Grilled Cheese Truck and the ever-popular Nom Nom Truck.

Nom Nom is one of my personal favorites. I love its banh mi sandwiches, which made it an overnight sensation. This tasty Vietnamese sandwich is made with a warm and toasty baguette filled with your choice of grilled pork, lemon grass chicken or tofu, fresh cilantro, marinated carrots and daikon radish, sliced cucumbers and jalapenos. It’s fresh, crunchy and very tasty—you must try one! The honey grilled pork bahn mi is Nom Nom's biggest seller.

One of my other favorite trucks is India Jones. I always get a mushroom frankie, which is a thin, rolled-up Indian burrito (roti) filled with mushrooms, cheese, cilantro, tamarind chutney and chopped onion. Other frankie flavors include lamb, chicken, beef, shrimp and paneer (Indian cheese).

The Shrimp Pimp Truck is one of the top food trucks in Los Angeles and was featured on the Rachael Ray Show in September 2010, along with The Grilled Cheese Truck. Shrimp Pimp serve fresh, sustainable seafood dishes, such as drunken shrimp tacos, Greek shrimp sandwiches, sashimi tuna tacos and tempura shrimp po boys. A po boy consists of tempura battered shrimp, served on a toasted French roll with baby greens, roma tomatoes and a remoulade sauce.

Sometimes you’ll find a dessert truck at this location, such as Sweet E’s Bakeshop, with plenty of options to satisfy your sweet tooth, including cupcakes, cake pops, cookies, brownies and whoopie pies.

The next time you find yourself thinking about the convenience of a drive-thru pickup, head to Westside Food Truck Central instead. It’s a fun place to discover new foods and you’re bound to find something you like.

Westside Food Truck Central, 10601 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90232.

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Mon. and Wed. 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

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