I recently visited one of Nottingham’s latest Indian restaurants, Tipu Sultan, to try their food offering. The venue alone is impressive, a large venue with brightly lit signage making an impact on passers by. Inside the restaurant, there has been careful attention to detail with the venue offering modern decor, soft lighting and extravagant feature walls and decoration.  The main benefit of this venue is its ability to cater for a variety of diners, with large round tables for groups dotted around in secluded areas and also smaller booths for families and couples to enjoy their food in a comfortable and relaxed setting. 

Once we had taken our seats, we were warmly greeted by our host who was very helpful in providing recommendations for us. For our drinks we went for their mock tails ( they don’t serve alcohol ) the frozen strawberry daiquiri £4.95 and the frozen green apple daiquiri £4.95. Both drinks were excellent, vibrant in colour, well presented and a sweetness with a slight tang proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the spices and heat of the food. 

For our starters we ordered the poppadoms and pickle tray £2.95, lamb chops £8.95 and onion bhaji £4.95 to start. The poppadoms were light and crisp as is to be expected and they were served alongside a trio of delicious dips. The mango chutney was smooth, sweet with a warmth coming through from the chilli. 

Onion salad which added an extra dimension to the dips with its crunchy well distributed ingredients and balanced flavours. The chilli sauce was smooth, contained a good level of heat with a slight sweetness to it. Two fairly sized onion bhajis came with a fresh salad and a refreshing mint yoghurt dip. The bhajis were lightly battered, golden, flavoured well with a delicate spice. They were light in texture which was a real bonus as I’ve often found them to be quite stodgy and heavy if too much flour has been used. The two lamb chops, again, were a good size and served with fresh salad with peppers, onion, cucumber, sweet corn and chickpeas. The lamb chops were succulent and tender, charred well which intensifies the flavour and balances well against the pinkness of the meat. The robust flavours of the chops worked with with the cooling mint yogurt and was certainly a great way to start the meal.

For our main course we ordered Murgh biryani £10.95, peshwari gosht £11.95, pilau rice, a cheese naan bread and an aloo paratha. These arrived a short while after we had finished our starters, which further highlights their attentive service. The murgh biryani had a good balance of fluffy basmati rice which was infused with a variety of spices and had plenty of tender, juicy chicken throughout. The pastry ‘lid’ was an excellent addition as this allowed the flavours of the biryani to mellow and retain its aromas. The special curry sauce was rich, well spiced worked perfectly alongside this dish. The peshwari  gohst had plenty of tender lamb in it which was served on the bone, resulting in a deeper flavour. The spiced sauce was thick, rich from the tomatoes and of a medium heat. The incorporation of garlic and fresh coriander sprinkled over the top added a freshness to the dish too. 

Overall, the venue is impressive and would be suitable for a number of occasions from birthdays to anniversary meals. The food itself is of a high standard and, for me, is a welcome addition to an already impressive Indian food offering within the city. It is also testament to their portion sizes that we were too full to order any desserts on this occasion. Our meal was complimentary in return for a review. All reviews are written honestly whether they are gifted or paid for by myself. 

Location: 482 Mansfield Road, Sherwood, Nottingham, NG5 2EL.

Opening hours: 12PM till 7PM – 7 days a week. 

Phone number: 0115 648 3326

Website: http://www.tipu-sultan.com/