Moca Café in the heart of North Miami is a hangout for Haitian-Americans who come for Creole cooking that is a blend of Amerindian, African and French influences with plenty of pep from Scotch bonnet peppers.

Professionals meet here over lunch or dinner in what had been a bistro near the Museum of Contemporary Art, thus the name. Many folks visit the gallery before stopping by for a bite or a drink at the bar.

Open since October, the café is the venture of Hamler R. Noel and Jean M. Cerenord, who have been business partners for 17 years. They met in a record store where Noel worked, teamed up over their love of music and became producers.

The 11th annual edition of their Haitian Compas Festival took place in May in Miami's Bicentennial Park, showcasing Haiti's dance hall and pop music along with food and culture. They also manage and produce the band Harmonik.

Cerenord, whose parents ran Ceci Bon in Little Haiti, grew up in the restaurant business, and wanted to get back in. He and Noel set out to open a place that would combine food with music in an intimate atmosphere with both Creole and continental dishes. At dinner the mood changes with white tablecloths and dimmer lights.

One of the bestsellers is char-grilled strips of conch from the Bahamas served with malagna root fritters, rice, fried plantains, black bean soup and pikliz, a vinegar-based cabbage slaw laced with hot peppers and spices.

The same fixings also come with stewed or fried goat, griots (marinated and stewed pork chunks that are then fried until crusty) and fish that can be had fried, grilled or in a white cream sauce. All-American items such as steaks, burgers, salads, pastas and ribs mean there's something for everyone at reasonable prices.

On Saturday there is bouillon, a tropical pot-au-feu chock-full of starchy tubers, goat meat and dumplings. Sunday brings soup joumou, a hearty potage with pumpkin, stew beef, ziti pasta and Caribbean seasonings, and poulet (stewed chicken with cashews).

Thursday is poetry night and Friday evenings can be booked for private celebrations. Haitian bands and acoustic musicians play on the small stage in back. There's often unplugged jazz to go with the goat with gravy or house pizza.

Linda Bladholm's latest book is Latin and Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified.

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