Christmas Eve and NYE Tasting at Amrina

Chef Jassi Bindra invited us to sample the special dishes he created for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, 2022. We immediately accepted, and were very excited; ever since we first tasted Chef Jassi’s cuisine at his Collaboreight Dinner at Tris with Chef Austin Simmons, we knew that Chef Jassi was a significant talent.

Since then, Jassi has been setting the Houston culinary scene on fire, with his innovative cuisine at Amrina, with his stunning victory at DR Delicacy’s La Nuit du Caviar, and with Amrina’s recognition by Eater Houston as their Restaurant of the Year.

We were anxiously awaiting the first bite of this special menu from Houston’s newest culinary superstar. The chef presented a wide variety of dishes from the menus he has created for these two special days.

Christmas Eve dinner will be offered at Amrina from 4 to 10pm on December 24. New Year’s Eve tasting dinner will be offered at Amrina from 4 to 7pm, with a tasting menu party with a lavish buffet beginning at 9pm and continuing past midnight. Contact the restaurant for reservations; these events will sell out early.

We created a brief video overview; after watching please continue to read as we discuss the dishes.

Video Overview

The Dishes

(click or tap on any image for a larger view)

We started with a light and flavorful amuse – corn & pepper chaat cornet, with millet popcorn. Emphasizing its lightness, the petite cones were presented on a small platter that was literally levitating above the chef’s table. We were aware of Chef Jassi’s mastery of Indian cuisine, but apparently he has mastered the forces of nature as well. We had a feeling we were in for something memorable.

The asparagus pepper fry, with pea croquette and parmesan curry mousse set the bar very high for vegetarian dishes. From the perfectly tender asparagus stalks to the deliciously savory pea croquette we found ourselves cleaning the plate after enjoying every morsel.

Seafood lovers shouldn’t miss the prawn chapel kebab, served atop a tomato steak with avocado jalapeño chutney. The minced prawn is formed and sautéed, and the perfectly ripe tomato steak provided an acidic counterpoint to the rich aroma of the sea.

(click or tap on any image for a larger view)

Chef Jassi then took us from surf to turf with his unique turkey seekh kebab with pickled cranberries and yogurt. Steering away from the traditional lamb or chicken, the holiday-appropriate choice of turkey was inspired. Moist, savory, and expertly spiced, the kebab was accented by the tangy pickled cranberries and the smooth, creamy yogurt.

We went back to the vegetarian side with the hearty roasted broccoli steak, with tomato and cheese sauce and spiced churma. This substantial dish was rich, seriously flavorful, and deeply satisfying; carnivores will be surprised by how much they enjoy Chef Jassi’s handling of this remarkable vegetable.

Dedicated carnivores will devour the rara lamb chop with crispy sichuan eggplant and spiced ground lamb. This dish let Chef Jassi flex his seasoning muscles; each component was complex and delicious, and together their flavors combined to create a truly delicious bite.

(click or tap on any image for a larger view)

Moving in still another dimension, the chef presented his exotic mushroom kofta, served over a spicy lebabdar sauce and accented with butter powder. Veering away from the traditional meats that form the meatballs, Chef Jassi combines multiple varieties of minced mushrooms into truly craveable “meatballs”, then lightly breads and fries them. Again, the depth and complexity of the flavors gives us pause; the thought that went into this dish was significant… and the result is delicious.

A curve ball from left field, the remarkable vegetable chop suey threw us for a loop. This dish is one we’d never expect at an Indian restaurant… and now we can’t wait to order it again. The interplay between the fresh vegetables and tangy pineapple, the crunch of the crispy noodles, and the sweet/savory/tangy balance of the chef’s chop suey sauce takes this one way over the top. After sampling this dish, it was obvious that Chef Jassi can excel at any cuisine he chooses.

Our final savory course was the far less showy beef tenderloin stir fry. with wok tossed greens. This simple dish demonstrated the restraint that Chef Jassi commands; perfectly sautéed veggies were paired with incredibly tender beef, and simply accented with the chef’s brown sauce. This dish reminded me of the ideal version of a beef stir fry, executed flawlessly.

(click or tap on any image for a larger view)

Evoking memories is a big part of the chef’s x-max forest dessert. A housemade dipped chocolate bar is combined with red wine glazed cherries, chocolate sponge, and sweetened milk ice cream. The cleverness is in the details; each part of the desert brings distinct flavors and styles of chocolate, and the wine glazed cherries is a tangy, superb finish to this melange of chocolate.

Conclusion

Chef Jassi Bindra has created some remarkable dishes for his Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve menus, including options that will expand your idea of what Indian cuisine can be. We can’t wait to see what he creates next!