• SHANIK • South Lake Union: People are CA-RAZY about the Indian food at Vij's in Vancouver, BC. Now the owners have opened a sister restaurant called Shanik on Republican and Terry in South Lake Union. (Shanik is the name of the daughter of Vij's cofounders, Meeru Dhalwala and Vikram Vij.) Excitement for Shanik is beyond high—as our friend Fnarf put it, "OMG! OMG!"—but the place is reportedly still ironing out its opening wrinkles. (500 Terry Ave N, 486-6884, shanikrestaurant.com, $$–$$$)

• BAIT SHOP • Capitol Hill: From the maker of Linda's Tavern, King's Hardware, Smith, and Oddfellows, this bar where the Jade Pagoda (and then, briefly, Bako) used to be is nautical themed—ships' wheels, a life ring, and a marlin stuck to the walls, etc. There are two machines dispensing frozen drinks at $8 a pop, plus the usual boozes, (relatively) cheap beer, and fried foods. The space looks like a stage set right now, but the breaking-in shouldn't be a problem: It's been packed so far. Bonus: lots of booths. (606 Broadway E, 420-8742, baitshopseattle.com, $–$$)

• AGRODOLCE • Fremont: Agrodolce, where 35th Street Bistro used to be (and the Still Life before that), is a locally sourced, sustainable, certified organic Italian restaurant from Maria Hines (Tilth, Golden Beetle). This all bodes very well. (709 N 35th St, 547-9707, agrodolcerestaurant.net, $$)

• THE HILLSIDE BAR • Capitol Hill: The Hillside is a pansexual bar where the gay, gay, gay Elite used to be, brought to you by the Hooverville people. It has a much less crazy color scheme with, ironically, more wood. For your drinking pleasure: 18 beers on tap and 60 kinds of whiskey. A gay man who stopped by reports that it feels nice and basic, in a Northwesty way. (1520 E Olive Way, 324-0154, $)

• YOROSHIKU • Wallingford: Yoroshiku, which occupies the space vacated by Joule, is a Japanese yakitori joint. The name means, roughly, "ambient positivity." (1913 N 45th St, 547-4649, 4649seattle.com, $)

• SPECKLED & DRAKE • Capitol Hill: Speckled & Drake is owned by a former Seattleite who left for Brooklyn to open a bar in Williamsburg called duckduck ("serving your fowl watering hole needs"), according to Capitol Hill Blog. His duck-themed Seattle project is in the former Living Room space on Olive. It looks vintagey—in the manner of Williamsburg, rather self-consciously so, but still nice. (1355 E Olive Way, $–$$)

• THE AUGUSTUS • Fremont: This sibling and next-door neighbor to Fremont's Hunger has an old-fashionedy pressed-tin ceiling and copper-topped bar, and it serves classic cocktails, "great beers," and house-made sausages—including a bacon cheeseburger one. (3601 Fremont Ave N, 588-0891, $)

• SCHOONER EXACT BREWPUB • Sodo: Heather, the manager at Schooner Exact Brewpub, says the menu is going for "more healthful fare—not your typical greasy pub grub." The kitchen lacks a grill/fryer, so that should help. Warren Peterson, a Tom Douglas alum once described as the T-Doug empire's "beer czar," is cooking. (3901 First Ave S, 432-9734, schoonerexact.com, $)

• TOI TACO • downtown: This taco/fusion lunch spot serves Korean noodle bowls, tacos, wraps, and banh mi. (2134 Westlake Ave, 623-5936, $)

• LOCAL PHO • Belltown: This family-owned pho place is run by a man named Sam. It's in Belltown, which had previously been something of a pho desert, and its prices are pretty reasonable. (2230 Third Ave, 441-5995, localpho-seattle.com, $)

• AMPERSAND LOUNGE • Belltown: First it was Copper Cart, then Empire Lounge. Now the rotating nightclub space at First and Bell is Ampersand Lounge. (113 Bell St, 239-0830, ampersandlounge.com, $)

• DIABLO FOOD TRUCKZ • on the road: This food truck serves up yakisoba pan, the popular Japanese sandwich with noodles for meat (plus meat!). In terms of ubiquitousness, it is the equivalent of the 7-Eleven hot dog in Japan. (Various locations, 276-0237, facebook.com/DiabloFoodTruckz, $)