Food Reviews ARCHIVES
10/7/2004
Safari
Writer: ANGELIQUE BAMBERG & JASON ROTH

Safari has been open for a few months now, but its debut, heralded by little more than a change of signage, has been, well, discreet. Situated in a Strip District basement space formerly occupied by a dreary breakfast joint, it seems safe to say that Safari isn’t relying on a lot of drop-in traffic. Instead, this West African/West Indian restaurant seems to be relying on word of mouth and extra-menu offerings, including reggae nights and 24-hour operations, rounding off with eggs and French toast for breakfast.
 
Proprietor Simeon “Sammy” Johnson, a native Nigerian who also opened Kayla’s Place up Penn Avenue in Garfield, has made over the cavernous space with what appears to be a minimum of budget and a maximum of DIY aesthetic ingenuity. A single row of plastic fast food-style booths -- presumably inherited from the previous tenant -- huddles along one wall, and our waitress traversed a large dance floor to reach us from her post at the bar on the opposite side. Sand-colored walls painted with murals of the savannah envelop the room with African imagery and rescue the atmosphere from being totally bargain basement. A disco ball and a tower of speakers caused us a moment of concern that Johnson had switched to a nightclub-only setup, but we were reassured when we received the illustrated menu featuring an array of entrees ranging from familiar chicken to try-it-you’ll-like-it goat. The fact that there are no appetizers just gave us reason to order more from the entree list to share.
 
Fish pepper soup arrived first, its thin broth defying Angelique’s expectations, but its full, fiery flavor more than making up for any impression of insubstantiality. The fish -- whiting, the culprit in many a mediocre Friday fish-fry -- here was meaty yet tender and not at all fishy-tasting. Despite its spiciness, the broth had an appreciable complexity of seasoning from peppers, onions, and herbs. This soup served as a light but satisfying first course that made us eager for the rest of our meal.
 
The African Sampler platter came with more whiting, this time a filet sautéed in butter and mild herbs; chicken with jellof rice; and plantains. The chicken, a cut-up leg rubbed with spices and fried in its skin, was moist and savory and drizzled with a slightly thick yellow sauce that seemed to taste sweetly of peppers.
 
Jellof is a preparation in which plain white rice is given a nutritional and flavor boost by simmering with vegetable oil, stock, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Safari’s version was lightly astringent and a little spicy in flavor, but again not so that the heat overwhelmed the layered notes of other seasonings, making it an excellent accompaniment to the rest of the plate.
 
It was the plantains, not the rice, that served to relieve the heat of the spicier dishes in the sampler. Though neither of us is generally a huge fan of this banana-like fruit, we found Safari’s preparation highly palatable: wedges fried up firm, with just a little bit of crispness at the edges, and a combination of sweetness and tang that counterbalanced the sear of hot peppers to perfection.
 
In addition to the sampler, we had to take advantage of the fact that Safari is one of the few restaurants in town that offers goat. It’s available in a spicy soup similar to the fish soup that we started with, or sautéed with African herbs and rice. We ordered the latter.
 
One reason goat is seldom seen in restaurants is that it seems like a less refined meat than beef, pork or lamb. It’s more sinewy, and the cuts tend to be less generous. Unfortunately, Safari’s goat suffered from these flaws. Our flimsy food-service knives were inadequate to the task of carving pieces that were chewy or tough, as if they had been insufficiently trimmed or should have been braised longer. However, the dish included a chop that was excellent, with simply seasoned meat falling off the bone. There was spice here, as well, but this time it was an undertone rather than a dominating theme. An accompanying medley of sautéed vegetables was bright and fresh, a happy surprise since this sort of side is so often overcooked.
 
Safari’s atmosphere may be the opposite of intimate and romantic, but even unflattering fluorescent lighting couldn’t blind us to the pleasures of the food, which is fresh, boldly flavored, and, in this town of pasta and pierogies, unique. Seek out Safari. It’s worth the trip.
 
 
JR:
AB:
Location: 2031 Penn Ave., Strip District. 412-281-4190
Hours: 24 hours
Prices: $7.95-11.95
Fare: African & Caribbean
Atmosphere: Nightclub with the lights on
Liquor: Full bar