Sunday, May 29, 2011

Kaz An Nou: Welcome to Chez Moi

Sebastien Aubert is, by all means, a celebrity chef. Who? Sebastien Aubert is the head chef of Kaz An Nou, one of the most organically operated restaurants in Brooklyn. He owns the modest Prospect Heights restaurant with his wife, Michelle Lane. Kaz An Nou is testimony of what splendidness you can create a with minimalist state of mind.

The food and ambiance follows a French-Caribbean theme, more specifically, the cultures of Guadeloupe - the birth-home of Aubert. He distills very well a seabreazy feel of a small island bistro into Kaz An Nou. There are cherry red-painted wooden chairs and tables, rustic ceiling fans that dangle several feet about your head. If you get there early for dinner, the place opens around 5:30, and the sun is still the main light source for the space, you'll feel as if you're in a beach-front establishment.

The playlist decidedly Afro-French, a mix that digs deeper than any Putamyo compilation. If you're lucky, you might have a live band playing traditional zouk.

I like that Sebastien Aubert is a multitasker. First of all, you may not know he's the owner, if you don't already know. He's there in the kitchen, then walking through the room, serving food, with his massive and voluminous, modern 'fro. I saw him even make a quick run to the store.

The menu is a shortlist of lovely meldings of Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. I was already eyeing the jerk chicken which is accented with honey sauce, goat cheese and tarragon. I was pleasantly surprised that the traditional heat of the jerk sauce wasn't muted by the fusion of the non-traditional. The chicken was sided was a creamy coconut rice, topped with sauteed string beans and tomatoes.

I hear the menu changes often. Last night there weren't any delicious codfish fritters to speak of, so sorry I missed the opportunity, but I was able to have the grilled shrimp layered in puff pastry and drenched with a seafood gravy. Appetizer number two was all about my favorite fruit/vegetable, the avocado. Left in it's skin and pitted, this avocado was topped with cheese and caramelized onions. We also tried the broiled pear with goat cheese.

I'm looking forward to returning for the duck and the West Indian Style burger. And, perhaps they'll have those codfish fritters, too!

 Stuffed Avocado
 
 Smoked Jerk Chicken with Goat Cheese, Tarragon and Honey Sauce

 Pears and Cheese

Shrimp and Puffed Pastry with a Seafood Reduction

Kaz An Nou
Park Slope/Prospect Heights
53 6th Avenue
(btw Dean and Bergen)
Brooklyn, NY 11217

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