Silent H (CLOSED)

This hip, airy eatery is filled with quirky design touches, like high wooden stools that line a grass-green counter, and ceiling fans with leaf-shaped blades. If you arrive expecting the classics, you will be disappointed. Chef-owner Vinh Nguyen doesn’t serve pho, but he does offer other recognizable dishes, such as banh mi, the now-famous Southeast Asian hoagie. The very good Classic incorporates pâté, salami, pickled shredded carrot, daikon, cilantro and mayo, while the nouveau Greenpoint throws kielbasa into the mix. Come dinnertime, the kitchen reaches higher, with a short list of Vietnamese “tapas,” including a green-papaya salad topped with plump sautéed shrimp and slices of seared pork belly that melt in your mouth.