TGIF! Not because the weekend is here, but because it’s time for this month’s First Friday Food trucks on Abbot Kinney. If you are planning on visiting this assortment of vendors parked in Venice, do yourself a favor and keep reading, because I’m here to tell you about the five most important trucks that you must stop by.

1. The Pudding Truck

“Here at The Pudding Truck our mission is to bring the creamy goodness of gourmet old-fashioned American-style pudding to the people of Los Angeles.” And they do just that. The Pudding Truck’s large menu has a variety of flavors like Key Lime Coconut, Pumpkin, and Southern Style Pudding (a vanilla bean pudding layered with brown butter vanilla wafers, bananas, and whipped cream). Unlike normal pudding from a box, The Pudding Truck’s pudding is hand-whisked on the stove top in small batches to ensure top-notch quality. The Pudding Truck is proud to say it uses organic ingredients and humanely harvests cage free eggs. The truck also offers vegan and gluten free flavors with a cornstarch substitute, which allows them to skip the eggs!  Their menu regularly changes to take advantage of in-season ingredients, and this also applies to their toppings, which can be mixed and matched for a customized treat. This is one of the more unique food trucks you will see, but it is definitely worth a try.

@thepuddingtruck

2. Wings N’ Waffles

Poultry fans beware… this truck puts KFC to shame. Wings N’ Waffles opened in 2012 with the purpose of making the best chicken and waffles in Los Angeles. The truck is known for their buttermilk waffles, which are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, giving you the best of both worlds. Topped off with warm fried chicken, this meal gives new meaning to the phrase “comfort food”. With over 15 menu choices, the truck serves everything from their classic Fried Chicken and Waffles to Turkey Burgers, Soul Wraps, and Mac-and-Cheese. And for all the vegetarians out there, they even have salads prepared just for you. The Southern charm of the employees’ accents also adds to the ambiance of the truck, making you feel right at home. Although going out on a Friday night and plowing through large crowds of people may seem dreadful, the Wings N’ Waffles Truck will make your night worth it.

@wingsnwaffles

For more reviews visit: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wings-n-waffles-los-angeles

3. Frach’s Fried Ice Cream

Fried Ice Cream? Does that even work? The answer is yes, thanks to Frach’s Fried Ice Cream. Originally from New York, Zachary Hurst and Freddy Rivera decided to open a food truck in California five years ago, that specializes in bringing international spins on fried ice cream. The two founders built the truck themselves and everything prepared in that truck is made by those same hands. So, here’s how it works: Step one, the customer chooses a dessert type, ie: Thai, Mexican, Japanese, Original. Each type is prepared differently. For example, the Mexican is wrapped in cinnamon-sugar flakes and served with cinnamon sugar whole wheat tortilla chips. Step two, they choose their flavor of ice cream, like vanilla, strawberry, pineapple, or coconut. And for the third and final step, it’s topped off with… yup, you guessed it- toppings. The selection ranges from fruit, whipped cream, and sauces; the options are endless. If you have the sudden urge for ice cream or have a sweet tooth in general, this is the truck for you.

@eatfrachs

4. The Grilled Cheese Truck

This truck does not make food, it makes masterpieces. From their Sun Dried Tomato Goat Cheese to their Pepperbelly Melt, The Grilled Cheese Truck has transformed a basic American staple into a whole new ball game. Although the menu doesn’t look long, this truck offers a diverse variety for every palette. If you still can’t find something, The Grilled Cheese Truck will personally create you your own grilled cheese. Because of raving customer reviews, The Grilled Cheese Truck has grown in popularity and has been featured on Food Network, Fox News, and Good Day LA. The company started in Los Angeles in 2009 and has since expanded throughout Southern California, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Austin. The truck started as a joint venture between Dave Danhi, a Los Angeles-based chef, and Michele Grant, an entrepreneur. Danhi created the idea when he competed in the 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, a grilled cheese competition, that takes place every Spring in Los Angeles. As he left the competition and saw the food trucks lined up outside, he got the idea to open the “grilled cheese food truck.” The Grilled Cheese Truck has been recognized for their work including awards like the “10 Best Grilled Cheese Trucks” in Culture Cheese Magazine and one of the “Top 10 Sandwiches in LA” by LA Weekly. If you don’t trust me, trust the numerous, and I mean numerous professional reviews on this truck. This is not your average grilled cheese, so step out of your comfort zone and go for this snack that’s anything but basic.

@grlldcheesetruk

5. Kogi Truck

Some people might ask, “Why should I spend my Friday night waiting in line for an hour for one little taco?” That’s what I thought until I tried my first Kogi taco, a combination of Korean and Mexican BBQ flavors. Their short rib taco – two crispy griddled homemade corn tortillas, double-caramelized Korean barbecue, salsa roja, cilantro-onion-lime relish, and a Napa Romaine slaw tossed in a chili-soy vinaigrette – is not only a Kogi classic, but now iconic to LA. Known for their hand-grilled tacos, the truck offers four types of proteins: short rib, spicy pork, chicken, and tofu. They also serve burritos,  quesadillas, desserts, and sliders. The truck has been mentioned in LA Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, and even the New York Times, who said, “The food at Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go, the taco vendor that has overtaken Los Angeles, does not fit into any known culinary category.” The food does not compare to anywhere else and is a must have at First Friday’s.

@kogibbq