A Cheeky GroupOn Deal At Rima-Faz Indian Restaurant In Mansfield
Published On Tuesday 1 Apr 2025 by Sticky Beak
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Yet again, The Man Bird hits the back of the net with an ‘extra discount’ Groupon deal! I chew his tab about scrolling mindlessly on t’ web, but I can’t deny that he comes up trumps, bless him. We’ve eaten at a few places in Mansfield, but this time was the turn of Rima-Faz Indian. His Nibs parked the jalopy in Toothill oad car park as it’s literally only a couple of minutes’ walk to the restaurant from here.
We got a really nice welcome as soon as we’d stepped inside, and we were shown to our table that sat pretty much smack-bang in the middle of the restaurant. There were already a couple of tables taken and, a short while later, a large group of about a dozen folks came in. The Groupon deal entitled us to Poppadoms and Pickles, a starter, a main course (exc. Salmon, Seafood and Lobster dishes), and a rice or bread, accompanied with a small glass of wine or lager. So, with that in mind, we set-to, looking through the menu, sipping our drinks as we did so.
As well as the usual pickle tray suspects of Mango Chutney, Onion Salad, Minted Yoghurt and Onion Chutney, there was some rather tasty Curried Chickpeas in Lime Pickle, all presented in separate little dishes. The Poppadoms were a good size and brilliantly crispy – no residual grease on these bad lads! Prior to our starters arriving, we also asked if we could have a couple of glasses of water and were soon given iced water - in very pretty glasses, I might add.
I chose the Chicken Tikka as my starter (£5.95) and the five cubes of breast meat were succulent and tender. Having been marinated in a Tikka paste, the spices had permeated the chicken meat, tenderising it as they did so, and flavour flooded my mouth. A simple side salad of Lettuce, Cucumber and Tomato provided a nice injection of coolness, alongside the creamy, minted yoghurt that came in its own jug.
The Man had opted for Chicken Chat Puree (£6.95) and his pieces of Chicken breast meat were every bit as good as mine, covered in an earthier spice mix that left the palate wanting more. Some Indian restaurants serve their Puri breads with the topping on them, but Rima-Faz has the tasty fried morsel on the side so that you can eat both elements together or savour them separately. His Nibs scoffed the chicken first and then rolled the [surprisingly non-oily] bread up and munched away at it, happily.
In the interval between starter and main, I took the opportunity to gawp around the venue and take in its décor. Seating is a mix of freestanding tables and chairs and a series of tables that can be used flexibly for larger groups, which are paired with banquette-style seating. Lighting is an eclectic mix of strung fairy lights, dangling [Moorish style] pendants, and polished chrome and white cube wall lights. Other than a feature wall at the far end of the space, the restaurant is fairly neutral in its colour scheme, which actually makes a change from a lot of Indian venues and their spice colours.
Our mains, rice and bread were served to us from a trolley, and the plates were warmed – always a nice touch. Both of us had gone for Lamb-based curries from the ‘Chef’s Signature Dishes by Faz’ menu section: Podina Gosht (£14.50, me) and Gosht Raha (£13.95, His Nibs). Previous experience has taught me to ignore the initial thought of “oh, there’s not much curry in that shallow dish”; there is, trust me! Turns out that there definitely was more than met the eye to the curries; they were packed with Lamb chunks, and His Nibs’ one had a beautifully thick consistency to it, thanks to the minced Lamb in it. The Man Birds’ Gosht (Lamb) Raha curry also had a much deeper, earthier flavour to it than my Podina Gosht.
My dish was fruitier and sweeter in its flavour profile, but there was a sting in its tail: a heat that stealthily crept up on you. By the time I’d finished my meal, I had a fair old tingle going on in my mouth and on my tongue! The Lamb, which was cut into strips, was gorgeously tender and soft to the bite, and there was plenty of it. His Nibs and I are partial to a bit of subterfuge when visiting an Indian restaurant for the first time; we work on the premise that they really should be able to cook Lamb perfectly, so always order a Lamb dish. I’m pleased to report that Rima-Faz certainly knows what they’re doing in the kitchen, and the complex layers of flavour in our curries were very much savoured - good job, Chef.
To accompany our curries was a lidded, metal pot of fragrant Lemon Rice (£3.95) and a large ’Mint Special’ Nan Bread (£4.50). The portion of rice was more than enough: we both had second helpings of the fluffy grains, neither of which was a mere spoonful or two. Scattered amongst the rice grains were plenty of sunny-toned pieces of Lemon rind and the juice had obviously been squeezed through during cooking, too. If you’re not a fan of citrus, I wouldn’t necessarily discount this side; the sharp Lemon note actually compliments the curries on offer very nicely.
Possibly the pillowiest (not sure if that’s a word, but it certainly is apt here) Nan bread was set before us and was topped with egg that looked like a crepe! The bread itself had a superb hint of Garlic and Coriander to it, paired wonderfully with a dash of heat from Chilli and soft, melted Cheese. From the very first mouthful, both The Man and I were instant fans of this morsel though, in honesty, we hadn’t really expected to be; it was more a case of ‘ooh, this sounds interesting, let’s order it’. Sometimes, things just work out the way they’re meant to, don’t they?
Throughout our evening, check-backs had been done and anything that we requested was brought over in a timely way and with a smile. I have to say, the look on Faz’s face as we left him one of our cards as we exited was priceless! Sorry, Faz, for the shock, but I’m sure that now you’ve read this review the shock was worth it. Hot Wings happily awarded to this lovely Mansfield curry house.
Rima-Faz is closed for deliveries and dining in on Monday, but opens every other day: the restaurant serves from 5-10.30pm, and the delivery times follow suit except on Tuesday and Wednesday, which are 5-10pm. To book a table either ring 01623 422220 or visit the website www.rima-faz.co.uk and hit the ‘table booking’ button. You can also order online by clicking on ‘order now’ and looking at the menu.
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