The best Vietnamese coffees to try in L.A. and O.C. right now.

One of the more recent drink trends to hit the cafes of Hanoi, blended coconut coffee (ca phe cốt dừa) is usually associated with Cong Caphe, a popular coffee chain in Vietnam where the baristas wear themed army-green outfits inspired by the Viet Cong. As a summertime refresher, the coconut coffee is on par with the Greek frappé, only thicker, richer and arguably made from superior ingredients. Coconut cream and sweetened condensed milk are blended with ice into a creamy slush, then doused with rich phin drip coffee. At DaVien Cafe in Westminster, a sweet shop that sources its dark-roasted grounds from the Vietnamese highlands, you can find a version dubbed the Coco Cloud. It might resemble a basic Starbucks Frappuccino, but don’t be fooled. It exists on a higher plane.