Taste of the Seychelles

Kaz Kreol claims to be London's only Seychellois restaurant and I believe them. This enticing amalgam of Indian spices, French techniques, African ingredients and Chinese subtlety is certainly a new one on me.

We gave the menu - heavily fish-based, as you'd expect from an island culture - a thorough going-over. From fat, greenlipped mussels Creole (what this culinary hotchpotch is called at home) to curious, chewy coconut nuggets, we had fun chowing down to a different groove.

The menu is heavy on 'curries' - soupy numbers tasting like a cross between an Indian balti and one of those strange green jobs you used to get from Chinese corner-shop takeaways. Goat curry was the star: a dark, rich stew of fragrant, tender and gamey meat.

A whole sea bass was vivid with tomatoes and the punchiness of fresh spices: ginger and garlic. The only disappointments were homemade relishes - pumpkin, papaya and apple. We expected these to be sharp and zingy, instead they verged on bland swampiness.

Seychellois chef/patron Jude Sinon is clearly a passionate cook and his plainly decorated pub conversion, apart from a few little shell touches, is a labour of love. More than a novelty, this is an endearing (and terrifically priced) neighbourhood sweetie.

Kaz Kreol
35 Pratt Street, NW1 0BG