La Bouillabaisse: That new French bistro in Red Hook, across the street from IKEA and connected to Annabelle's bar (formerly Lillie’s), has just opened. As reported back in June, the restaurant is the baby of Neil Ganic, who won a following through previous iterations of Bouillabaisse on Atlantic Avenue in the ‘90s. Besides serving the bar crowd next door and in the backyard, Ganic’s menu features his old signature dishes like a poached-pear–and–blue-cheese salad, according to Time Out NY. And the IKEA cafeteria meatballs might have some competition from chef’s namesake bouillabaisse. 44–46 Beard Street; Red Hook, 718-643-2679.

Apothéke: The biggest buzz this week has to do with a swank new speciality cocktail lounge located, the story goes, in an old opium den on Doyers Street in Chinatown, which used to be called “the bloody angle.” Grub Street has the sexy photos and insidery reports from a pre-opening night, when mixologist Albert Trummer repaid the hype with a special key allowing them special entry through a special door in the alley. But who’s jealous? The ceiling is gold leaf, the 200-year-old door has a cool sliding peephole, the light sconces will supposedly be filled “with an absinthe-like herbal liquid that emits a soothing scent” and Thrillist reports that the cocktails are organized according to apothecary treatments, e.g., Aphrodisiacs (champagne and cognacs), Pain Killers (tequilas and spices), Stress Relievers (incorporating lavender, sage, etc). Not so excited is Vanishing New York, who has a great look back at the history of Doyers Street.

Black Iron Burger Shop: This new burger joint is so locally sourced you’d expect to find cows grazing outside on the sidewalk. The hand-cut potato fries are from Long Island, the cheddar is upstate, and even the employees live nearby, owner Jason Hennings tells NY Mag. And the burgers are luxuriously grilled on an $8,000 Keating Miraclean griddle, a steel-and-chrome, energy-efficient “monster” that Hennings says “doesn’t emit any heat except on the surface where the burger hits it. Plus, because it doesn’t get seasoned like cast iron, each burger comes off with a really clean flavor, and always will. It lets the meat have its true flavor.” 540 East 5th Street, 212-677-6067.