Braai's Exotic Tapas Do Not Excite

Braai - Hell's Kitchen
329 W. 51st St., New York, NY

Braai's open-air, candle-lit entryway invited us in from off the street. Just a few steps down from the sidewalk we entered a glowing wine bar and prepared ourselves for a relaxing evening of fine dining. A few glances at the décor and menu choices (which included ostrich burgers, chicken liver, and venison carpaccio) and I knew that this must be the sister restaurant to Xai Xai. 

To take advantage of variety, we ordered the five tapas special. As at Xai Xai, the tapas arrive altogether on a large serving platter, and since the restaurant catered to only a few patrons that night, we received our food quickly. 

Everything tasted good, but for a menu as diverse and out-of-the-ordinary as this, dinner felt sadly average. The lightest dish we ordered--venison carpaccio--tasted much like a beef carpaccio with a more delicate texture. Lamb samoosas, the waitress' recommended dish, stood out as the most flavorful, but as they did not arrive hot our excitement was only lukewarm as well. 

Dinner at Xai Xai was nice, but I remember a wave of disappointment washing over me during dessert. So, lest we repeat our own mistake, we cut out sweets for the evening. Thankfully, the five tapas together amounted to a perfect portion for two people, so we left neither stuffed nor hungry. It was too bad we couldn't enjoy the restaurant's atmosphere a bit longer, but having been served so quickly and then skipping out before dessert, our dining experience was brief. I would hesitate to go back and extend it at a later date. Though, I would not be opposed to returning for a glass of wine at their bar. After all, the ambiance was the best part.