The buzz: The Eclipse restaurant group closed down Cuban joint Havana and opened up Café Annam in its place, making it the third Vietnamese restaurant on Elgin Street.

The décor: Although quite similar to the layout of the old Havana, there have been some subtle but appealing changes. The color scheme has changed to a starkly simple black and white, with pictures of old Vietnam and an Andy Warhol-esque portrait of Uncle Ho decorating the walls. Potted trees, rattan chairs and French-style banquettes complete the colonial look.

The drinks: Featuring mostly French whites to go with the cuisine, there are also Vietnamese beers like 33 Special and Saigon Lager. Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk is also available.

The food: Unlike many others, Café Annam admirably stays away from fusion cuisine. Instead, it takes its inspiration from the more authentic cuisine of Hanoi, going so far as to serve the signature fish dish of one of the city’s oldest restaurants, the Cha Cá La Vong. All the herbs (mint, coriander, dill) are also imported from Vietnam.

Why you’ll come back: A reasonable test of any Vietnamese restaurant is their beef pho and this one definitely passes the test. The broth, made from beef bones and cooked overnight, is convincingly dark in color and sweet in flavor. The high quality of the beef— Australian sirloin—is immediately obvious. And for $58, that’s a definite bargain in this part of town.

35 Elgin St., Central, 2545-9966.