Profile

BraaiNew York’s first South African BBQ restaurantshares the same owners as the nearby South African wine bar Xai Xai. Partners Brett Curtin and Tanya Hira have nailed the African bush-meets-urban-club look: A bamboo-lined ceiling arches over flickering candles and pale-white cypress tree trunks with dark whorls; wooden tables are strewn with rose petals; and Curtin has scattered driftwood she collected along the Hudson River throughout the room. The restaurant distinguishes itself from the city’s barbecue pack by serving ostrich, venison, and deviled chicken livers. Sosaties, skewered meats, are one highlight, like the hunks of rosy, meaty ostrich presented on a mini-cast-iron skillet and accompanied by tart condiments like papaya-coconut or apricot chutnies. Succulent Pig and Spears, tender pork with crisp asparagus, pairs well with its spicy side Chakalaka, a thick vegetable relish that can be traced to Johannesburg townships. Braai’s lounge-worthy side asserts itself as night descends, with “Signatcha Koktels” like the Zulu Bubble Bath, a potent mix of rum and peach, along with superb South African wines made with "steen," another name for chenin blanc. — AnneLise Sorensen

Ostrich sosaties, $12; pig and spears, $18