South African cuisine, or more specifically, Cape cuisine, is a blend of Dutch, French, German and Malay flavors typically applied to lamb, beef or seafood. In the local restaurants, try
bredie (braised and stewed mutton and vegetables), saltwater crayfish (like lobsters, but without the claws) and
bobotie (a sweet curried meat dish). Other local delicacies include
biltong (spicy strips of dried meat), Samosa (deep-fried pastries filled with curried vegetables or meat),
koeksisters (syrup-soaked doughnuts),
waterblommetjies (a nutty-tasting flower) and
stuiwe pap or
putu (cornmeal porridge).
Upens (tripe) and
mopane worms are strictly for the daring palate.
You'll find many Chinese, French, Portuguese and Indian restaurants, with the latter being especially well-represented in KwaZulu-Natal, the main stronghold of the country's million-strong Indian population. The private game reserves often serve wild game in their restaurants (gazelle and warthog are good, though the latter can be tough). But no other culinary institution is so typically South African as the braai (Afrikaans for "barbecue"), a social event that usually features spicy boerewors (literally "farmers' sausage") along with steak, chops or marinated sosaties (kebabs). South African wines are both excellent and inexpensive.
