When You Just Can't Go Home...Yet

© Andrea Barrack / RumBum.com

Downtogs dogs does the night.

LA. Friday night. 2 a.m. You've been out all night after a full week of work and now you must...have...food. Time to hit the food trucks, LA's latest culinary phenomenon. So instead of landing at a humdrum brick-and-mortar food joint that sells sloppy slices or droll chicken wings, hunt down one of the following – our picks for the best late night food trucks in LA.  Better yet, plan your night around where they serve.  (Just check their Twitter page before you bounce.)

Downtown Dogs (Twitter handle: @downtowndog)

Dogtown Dogs provide grass fed, nitrate free hot dogs like you’ve never tasted. Locally cased, these © Andrea Barrack / RumBum.comNow that's a dog!dogs can come wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and topped with a fried egg (Morning Commute Dog, $5), avocado, arugula, tomatoes, fried onions, and basil aioli (California Dog, $6) or homemade chili and crumbled Fritos (Trailer Trash Dog, $6).

The dogs themselves are savory and hearty, knocking the Dodger Dog outta the park, and the toppings add a deliciously creative and flavor-packed edge. Jonathan, the man behind the magic, often flies solo and has a knack for friendly chit-chat.  Plus, I’m a sucker for good design, and as far as food trucks go this one’s teal starburst motif with mandarin cowboy font takes the cake.

FrySmith (Twitter handle: @Frysmith)

Remember the last time you had nachos, but all you did was grab a fork and devour the thirteen different condiments towering above them? At FrySmith, you’ll get so lost in © Andrea Barrack / RumBum.comYou might want to share.your toppings, you’ll forget there’s fries under there. Lightyears more than your average onions and relish, these ingenious accoutrement are certainly worth it.

The Rajas Fries ($6) are smothered in shawarma-marinated steak, fire-roasted poblano chiles, caramelized onions, and melted jack cheese. They’ve even upgraded the Chili Cheese Fries ($5) with Angus all-beef chili made with beer and chocolate, topped with diced red onions and lots of cheddar. Both selections surpass my taste test and, though the fries themselves are quite oily and mushy, they’ll certainly satiate any post club craving. Plus, they earn extra points for carrying sweet potato fries. Make sure to wash it all down with an uplifting bottle of ginger beer. With that flavor punch, who needs alcohol?

Get Shaved Ice Truck (Twitter handle: @getshaved)

Food trucks also come through when you just won’t head home without satisfying your sweet tooth. LA © Andrea Barrack / RumBum.comThe perfect late-night treat.locals know that gourmet cupcakes and pastries are a dime a dozen (and a dozen for $36), so instead, venture your taste buds to the Get Shaved Ice Truck for an exotic treat straight from the Hawaiian islands.  (Fun Fact: Get Shaved Ice often tails Kogi at night, so if you seek out this chilly treat you might be in store for a twofer.)

Pick your shaved ice masterpiece from flavors like Cherry and Dreamsicle to Blue Vanilla and Tiger’s Blood.  I couldn’t get enough of my POG – passion fruit, orange, guava mix – combo, and heeded the advice to ask for a vanilla ice cream base and sweet cream drizzled on top ($4). Even on the chilliest of LA nights you'll willingly dive in to a brain freeze.