At Brasero, the thrilling new spot from the El Che Steakhouse & Bar team, chef John Manion and chef de cuisine Adam Meyer explore the flavors of South America, particularly Brazil, where Manion lived as a kid. That means loads of seafood, wood-fired meats, and wines from the continent. Beverage director Alex Cuper offers 100 bottles under $100. Below, they share pairings for three of their favorite dishes. 1709 W. Chicago Ave., West Town

Moqueca

“Moqueca is one of the national dishes of Brazil,” Manion says. “We lean into the West African influences, so there’s tomatoes, chiles, garlic, ginger, and dendê oil, which is a defining flavor and aroma. Shrimp and mussels flavor the broth, and we’re using mahi mahi. It’s not far outside something you’d have at home, just polished up.” $63

Pair with …

Roberto Henriquez Corinto Super Estrella, Chile, 2021 “I put a magnum of this on the menu as something fun,” says Cuper. “The moqueca is such a communal dish; just get a big bottle of wine to go with it.” $99 a bottle

Hamachi Crudo

“Our sous chef, Zach [Hertz], came up with this,” Meyer says. “He takes red yuzu kosho and cuts the acidity and spiciness with Duke’s mayonnaise.” Manion adds: “There are more Japanese in São Paulo than anywhere outside of Japan. We’re pulling influences from places that had an impact on the food.” $24

Pair with …

Colectivo Mutante PX#1, Chile, 2021 “There’s salinity that goes well with the super-savory ponzu,” Cuper says. “It’s a great wine to branch people out of their comfort zone.” $14 a glass; $54 a bottle

Grilled Quail

“I hadn’t dreamed of changing the quail dish until we did a dinner with Zubair Mohajir from Coach House,” Manion says. “I gave the quail a dousing of house hot sauce, Zubair fried Indian chickpeas, and we added chimichurri-inspired green goddess dressing and black garlic molasses. It needed a little crunchy-crunch: Chicken skins, as they say, tied the room together.” $34

Pair with …

Viña González Bastías Matorral, Chile, 2019 “I find a unique savory characteristic similar to dried herbs that matches the quail really well,” Cuper says. “It’s chilled, so it’s a great wine for summertime.” $72 a bottle