Silent H
"The corner space that used to house Oznot's Dish, Billyburg's pioneering hipster hang, has been reworked into a modern cafe straight out of Saigon. The space strikes a cool-as-a-cucumber pose with an all-window front wall, ornately patterned tile floor and leaf-shaped fans," writes Justin Hartung for Citysearch. "The name is a nod to the commonality of silent H's found in the Vietnamese language, including the proprietor's own name. 'Viet tapas'—[owner Vinh Nguyen's] version of Asian small plates—take center stage, along with a selection of entrees and salads. Banh mi sandwiches are also available, but they're only served during lunch," says Metromix.
If you're sampling some small plates, New York magazine recommends Silent H's "bruschetta-like toasts topped with a smooth, tasty rice-flour-tapioca-starch batter mixed with mung bean and taro, studded with a choice of tiny shrimp or mushrooms, and then placed under the broiler until golden brown." At lunchtime, Julia Moskin for the New York Times recommends a sandwich that fuses Vietnamese cuisine with local flavor: "Vinh Nguyen has created a succulent banh mi at Silent H called the Greenpoint: a tribute to the area’s many traditional Polish butcher shops. Instead of cha lua, smooth pork terrine, he lays on Krakowska kielbasa, a smoked sausage." How would you rate this place?
Reviews (5)
dirty_hipster wrote a review on April 22, 2009 1:38 PM
I've only had the bahn mi sammich - so I can't review the whole menu. the bahn mi was pretty solid, probably the second best I've had after Momofuku Ssam Bar.
Service is typical Williamsburg - spotty.
mopar wrote a review on April 22, 2009 4:09 PM
Haven't been there, though I went to Oznot's. The Mexican-Italian hybrid across the street tries very hard but does not entirely succeed. The fancy bar across the street is excellent and has an interesting salvage fridge under the bar.
wine lover wrote a review on April 22, 2009 5:07 PM
place is special. i dislike cilantro intensely, so the dinner menu is pretty small if can't eat it.
does continually get wonderful reviews.
janelle wrote a review on April 30, 2009 1:34 PM
good banh mi. nice but no frills.
housieQ wrote a review on November 11, 2009 12:02 AM
I highly recommend the spring rolls, both meat and vegetable. They are crunchy outside and juicy inside, excellent match with beer.
The main dish tends to be on the heavier side, so if you're looking for an authentic Vietnamese flavor that's sharp and light, I will stick with ordering several appetizer plates.
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