As serenely hip as the decor at this arts district bistro may be, it pales beside the presentation of the food. Who would have thought that a vegan salad (lentils, quinoa, and endive, topped by an ethereal cap of carrot curls) could be so satisfying or that its smoked salmon and fresh asparagus cousin would be as pleasing to look at as to eat? A cup of soup is a must to begin, especially if it’s the mushroom and tofu in clear broth—packed with flavor but modestly sized so as not to spoil one’s appetite for, say, an applewood-smoked-ham panino. (6/13)