Kahani Social Group is known for the fine-dining Indian cuisine that’s impressed diners of Amrina since the restaurant opened in The Woodlands in 2022. Three years later, the team has officially made its fast-casual debut in the inner loop.

The group began welcoming Houstonians to its Midtown fried chicken spot Pok Pok Po late last year, and opened Bōl right next door in January. Chef Jassi Bindra, the mastermind behind the menus, says all the Houston concepts were born out of his love for marrying traditional and modern cooking.

“When we [started] Kahani Social Group, we didn’t want to do a fine-dining restaurant only, we wanted to do something for everyone,” says Bindra, who coleads the company with Surpreet and Preet Paul Singh. “So, we have a fine-dining set-up, now we have a casual set-up. And, maybe in the future, what we open [will be] something different.”

Bindra began his culinary journey in India at the ripe age of 19. After spending about a decade learning the traditional recipes of his culture’s cuisine, he moved to San Francisco, where he helped open a restaurant as head chef. He later opened his own restaurant in Washington, DC, Punjab Grill, which received a Michelin Plate.

He arrived in Houston in 2022 to open Amrina, with the aim of luring more people to the suburbs. It’s one of many recent restaurant openings to have added some excitement to the dining scene on the outskirts of town, along with Belly of the Beast in Spring and Xalisko, also in The Woodlands. Amrina showcases dishes such as rara lamb chops, matar paneer, and tandoori stuffed quail, all of which are a reflection of Bindra’s childhood that incorporate modern touches.

At one point, Amrina began experimenting with a Sunday brunch menu, which included a chicken and waffles dish. Bindra says the Southern staple’s popularity among the weekend crowd prompted the decision to debut the first fast-casual restaurant, Pok Pok Po.

The Kahani team then focused on choosing a location. Bindra says a lot of Amrina’s clientele comes from other places outside The Woodlands, like the inner loop or other suburbs like Katy and Sugar Land. The group wanted a space for fans to have easier access to the flavors they’ve come to love at Amrina. The group settled on the former home of French restaurant Artisans in Midtown, a large space that allowed them to set up two interconnected concepts.

“[We thought] when they [have] supported us so much, then why can’t we come to them and give them something else?” Bindra says. “So, when they can’t drive back to Amrina, at least they can have our other concepts.”

When the team fleshed out Pok Pok Po’s menu, they took into consideration the number of fried chicken places Houston already has—especially following the hot chicken craze. They knew the concept had to be unique, so rather than following any sort of spice trend, they opted for quality and flavor. Pok Pok Po uses cage-free chicken (with no hormones or antibiotics) that’s coated with rice flour and cornstarch batter, then seasoned with Indian Kashmiri red chile powder, along with a blend of other herbs and spices.

The restaurant offers a chicken sandwich made with a pressure-cooked boneless chicken thigh topped with a sweet and nutty “delicious” sauce, as well as fried chicken strips and chicken bites. You can also add strips or bites to the Loaded Rice and Shine (with basmati rice) and the Loaded Chic fries (with Sidewinders fries).

The same attention to flavor is also given to its sides. Pok Pok Po’s Balle Balle fries—which get their name from a type of northern Indian dance—are sprinkled in its house spice blend, and the desi kimchi adds a sweet-and-spicy seasoning to napa cabbage, red peppers, and cucumbers.

“In the end, we care about our ingredients [with] whichever concept we open,” he says.

The idea for Bol came from Bindra’s memories of India, where he says they love to mix and match different ingredients. He and his business partners wanted to offer more than the typical offerings at other build-your-own spots, so they set out to bring in homestyle, healthier ingredients.

Bol’s menu also merges different global flavors in a more approachable format. Diners choose between a bowl, wrap, or salad, with a choice of brown, basmati, or masala rice. Protein options include chicken, lamb keema, beef, and paneer. For vegans or vegetarians, Bol offers tawa veggies and cumin potatoes. Finish it off with toppings such as Jassi’s hummus, pickled onion, spiced avocado, Bol hot sauce, and Bol masala yogurt.

“With a minimum of ingredients, [it’s] not overpowering,” Bindra says. “You can eat it and not feel heavy.”

Although the new concepts are fast-casual, the group’s intention is to have each serve as a space where people can sit down with their friends and enjoy the ambience, rather than be just another to-go option. Combined, Pok Pok Po and Bol have a total of 79 seats.

In the end, though, it’s all about the cooking. Bindra says a bite of fried chicken and a bite of a gourmet chicken breast should taste great regardless of the restaurant’s model.

“I told all my staff: Even if you are fast-casual, the care for the ingredients and the cooking techniques should not change,” Bindra says.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Punjab Grill received a Michelin star. It was a Michelin Plate.