Amire pronounced ah-mah-ya
Mahmud Hussaini came in as a dishwasher at Amire restaurant and by the time the initial Chef left, he had learnt how to cook and was behind all the meals for Amire’s Christmas Dinner. He is now Chef Mahmud Hussaini.
Many of you may not have heard of Amire Restaurant but I’ll be writing a review of the first ever Christmas dinner I attended in Kaduna. There’s not a lot of this kind of dinner happening but December was filled with a whole lot of events. I thought it would be helpful to share my experience.
I went solo for the the dinner and by the time the it was over, I was glad I showed up. I’ll talk about the food, the ambience and the event as a whole so here we go.
FOOD
That’s the main reason everyone attended the dinner right? Well for me, that was it. We were treated to a 3 course meal and the menu was pretty decent. I was just coming from a barbecue party so I was quite worried that my stomach would not be able to take in anything but it surprised me.😊
Starters: We were served meatballs, chicken wings and chicken nuggets. As I was coming from a barbecue, I couldn’t eat any more meat but I still tried it because I did want to leave a review. The meatball was quite tasty and not too dry. The accompanying drink was not named on the menu but I think it was some sort of “chapman” which had lime and some herbs in it. It was light and very refreshing. For the starter menu, the drink was the best part for me.
Main Dish: I had prawns + mashed potatoes + tomato sauce. I tried to pick something as light as possible and also avoid meat. This came with salad on the side. The mashed potatoes was delicious. It was the texture that did it for me. It almost felt like it was melting in your mouth. The tomato sauce was very subtle, almost bland. For me that was perfect because I do like bland meals.
For the prawns, I did not have any expectation. That was my first time having prawns and all I can say is it was crunchy.
Dessert:The dessert options were simple but I was served macaroons with sweet cream.
The accompanying drink was a virgin “Caribbean Breeze”. I tasted this drink but it didn’t work for me as I found it too sweet. I stuck with the initial drink served with the starter.
AMBIENCE
The ambience was relaxing and friendly. The decoration was beautifully done and perfectly conveyed the season. Upon entry, you’re immediately greeted by a Christmas tree with gifts underneath. Except the reserved tables, tables were set for 2, 3 and 4 persons.
Throughout the dinner, we were entertained with live music from a band, Jade Music. I think the band did an excellent job. I enjoyed every moment of it and am looking forward to more performances by them. The host got everyone to say something or attempt to sing a song and it created a friendly vibe through out. I came alone for the event but I never felt like I was alone so I think it was good.
GIFTS
Amire did not just stop at the dinner but she actually gave every single person that was present a gift pack. I was seriously taken aback by this because I did not expect this. She took the word “season of giving” literally. Well, thanks to Amire, I do have a Christmas gift.😊
The staff at the dinner were also given awards for their loyalty and hardwork.
WHAT COULD BE BETTER
If everything was perfect, then I would be lying wouldn’t I? I think there’s still a little more work that can be done in the service area. The waiters were quite professional however, the servings seemed off. I had 2 plates on my table though I was alone and a total of 3 drinks.
On the set up side, the chairs were tightly placed together which meant you may hit people as you moved around or need to ask for a little adjustment so you could pass through. Overall, it was done pretty well.
TAKEAWAY
It would interest you to know that the tickets were actually sold out so, if you find yourself looking to attend the Christmas dinner or a Valentine’s day dinner next year, you should snag a ticket on time. Kaduna people are looking for stuff to do and it is interesting to see activities like this happening all around the city.
ABOUT AMIRE
Amire is a fine dining restaurant which serves both local and continental dishes. They opened up about a year and half ago and have been catering to the Kaduna community. It is a good restaurant for a romantic date, business launch or occasions.
Amire Restaurant is at 4 station road, off Ali Akilu way.