Pink, sweet, pure nostalgia — the drink every Thai kid grew up ordering after school.
$7
Where it comes from
Nom yen — 'cold milk' — is Thailand in a glass: milk over ice, dyed rose-pink with syrup of the sala fruit, most famously from the Hale's Blue Boy bottle standing in every Thai pantry. It is the taste of school canteens and corner shops, the reward parents buy for a good report card. Order it beside something spicy — this is the best fire extinguisher on the menu.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.