For some time now Dewsbury town centre has been a dining desert.

Until fairly recently the town boasted a well-regarded Indian, Ashiq’s, a lively Greek restaurant, Lalousis, and a Chinese, Tung Hing.

There are, of course, still places to eat but they are just that, places to eat.

Surprisingly for a town as big as Dewsbury there was no destination restaurant – until now.

Just opened down a quiet and unassuming back street, a minute’s walk from both railway station and bus station, is Mim’s, an Indian restaurant with a twist.

Opened by Dewsbury couple Naz and Shamima Khan, the newly-refurbished premises are a chic cafe bar by day and an intimate restaurant by night.

Locals will remember the premises in Wellington Street as a wine bar.

Exposed stonework and wooden beams, combined with modern furniture, fixtures and fittings, gives the place a cosy, homely feel. A place you want to come back to.

Naz, who helped run his father’s Italian restaurant in Sheffield, has spent the last two years working on a plan for his own eaterie.

The man is meticulous, a perfectionist, and wants everything to be right.

He even scoured proofs of his menu to ensure there wasn’t a single apostrophe out of place.

The opening of Mim’s (get the apostrophe right!) is the culmination of a dream but the hard work starts now.

Naz handpicked Ejaz Chaudhry to be his chef, persuading him to uproot his family from Holland and head up his own kitchen in Dewsbury.

As well as Indian cuisine, there are Mediterranean and English options including pasta, steaks and gourmet burgers.

Because it’s not just an Indian, there are ‘proper’ desserts. I’m not a fan of kulfi, the Indian ice cream, found in most curry houses.

At Mim’s (mind the apostrophe, Naz is still watching) you can have Movenpick ice cream, carrot cake, New York cheesecake, banoffee pie or the intriguing chocolate peanut butter stack to finish off your curry, if you so desire.

Well I didn’t but it’s nice to know you can. An unusual combination I’ll grant you but who says you can’t break the rules now and again?

Naz has spent a great deal of money renovating the two floors of his cafe/restaurant.

He won’t say how much but he hasn’t scrimped, that’s for sure.

He’s created a pleasing fusion of traditional and modern to appeal for a variety of occasions.

The restaurant also features pictures and photographs of old Dewsbury on the walls.

Pride of place goes to a print of a superb piece of artwork by Thornhill artist David Martin, who created his own version of Canaletto’s view of the Grand Canal in Venice – complete with some of Dewsbury’s most recognisable buildings.

The restaurant has a Tardis-like quality, looking small from the roadside but inside there’s nothing at all claustrophobic.

Parking is great, too. After office hours there is free parking right outside the door and at the bottom of the hill, Naz has done a deal with a local accountant to use his car park after 5pm.

Downstairs the pride of the cafe is a range of gourmet teas which go by the unlikely names of Gunpowder, Blackcurrant Pop and Spiced Masala Chai.

All are served on a wooden tray with miniature teapots and an egg timer to ensure your tea is served just how you like it.

During the day Mim’s is a cafe but after 5pm, the lights go down and delicious Indian aromas fill the air.

My companion Sian and I visited on Saturday night. Given that Mim’s had only been open a couple of weeks, the place was surprisingly busy.

A family in the corner, we later learned, were already on their third visit which has to be a recommendation in itself.

The menu, an extensive and comprehensive document, promises the restaurant “never compromises on quality” and uses the finest ingredients to “create great food using our own unique recipes”.

Big promises from Naz but he’s nothing if not confident.

There are all your Indian staples – madras, vindaloo, bhunas and kormas – but there are plenty of ‘unique’ dishes I haven’t come across before.

Butter chicken, for example, was tempting. It’s described as “barbecued chicken breast cooked in a rich buttery sauce with gentle spices and cashew nuts”.

I like fish and also considered the haddock curry or the seafood special but I eventually opted for probably the most unusual item on the menu – Lamb Shank Sultani (£10.95).

My fish fix came from the starter, Amritsari Fish (£3.45), which is haddock marinated in yoghurt, ginger, garlic and ajwain spice, coated in flour and shallow fried. The haddock was flaky and full of flavour and the batter was crisp and light.

Sian chose the Shami Kebab (£2.75) – minced lamb with ginger, spices and chilli. It was delicious and had a real back-of-the-throat kick.

My lamb shank came served in a dish, the bone hanging over the edge. The thick sauce, soup almost, was rich, aromatic and medium hot.

The lamb fell from the bone at a touch and was perfectly cooked. The garlic and coriander naan was great for mopping up the sauce and I made sure my dish was wiped clean.

Sian had the classic Chicken Tikka (£7.95) and she, too, polished off the lot. A satisfied customer then.

Much as I was tempted by the desserts they will have to wait until our next visit.

Mim’s is unlicensed and charges a corkage fee for ‘bring your own’.

So Dewsbury is finally back on the dining map. And in Mim’s the town has a destination restaurant with a menu to satisfy the most discerning diners.

5 Wellington Street, Dewsbury, WF13 1LY

Tel: 01924 465465

Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday 5pm-11pm; Friday & Saturday 5pm ‘til late; Tuesdays closed.

Children: Welcome

Disabled access: Yes

The bill: £40.55 including drinks and coffee

Would you go back? Soon