Hidden away in Glen Ellen’s Jack London Village, Indian/Nepalese sleeper Yeti Restaurant has been a word-of-mouth phenom for nearly eight years. Hold onto your tikka, Santa Rosans, because this mythical monster of deliciousness is also now in Santa Rosa. (190 Farmer’s Lane, Santa Rosa, 521-9608)
And trust us, the success of both are in no small part the naan. Baked to order in a piping hot tandoor (a charcoal-fired clay oven), the flatbread arrives table side steaming, and nearly as long as your forearm. Tear off a buttery, yeasty, garlic bite and remember the soul-satisfying taste of gluten and carbs.
Yeti’s naan, of course, is only a carrier for the mix of freshly ground herbs and spices, yogurt, coconut, cumin, vegetables and tandoor-grilled meats inspired by Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Timid or adventurous, here’s what we’re loving:
– Onion Bhaji: Think fritters with onions, ginger and garlic. Make sure to dip in mint and tamarind chutney, ($7.99).
– Vegetable Momo: Nepalese-style dumplings filled with Himalayan spices a and veggies, ($7.99)
– Chicken Biryani: Saffron Basmati rice cooked in ghee with onions, dried fruit and served with a side of cucumber-yogurt (raita), $17.95.
– Mixed Tandoor Platter: If you can’t decide what to get out of the tandoor, this mix of lamb, fish, chicken and prawns hits the highlights, $24.99.
– Mattar Paneer: Cubes of fresh cheese, spinach and peas in spiced cream sauce, $12.95.
– Chicken Tikka Masala: Tender white meat chicken with garam masala, tomatoes and paprika, $15.99.
– Lamb Korma: A very mild curry that’s great for first-timers, $16.99.
– Rogan Josh: A spicier lamb curry with ground onions, garam masala and coriander, $16.99.
– Garlic Cilantro Naan, $3.99
– Kashmiri Plau: Spiced rice with almonds, fried onions and cashews, $5.99.
Keep in mind: If there are more than two of you, order a couple naan breads. Spring for the sauces — from mild riata to sweet mango chutney, mint and tamarind sauce to add depth. And don’t be afraid to dip, scoop and sop away with your naan. That’s what Indian food is all about.
Yeti Indian Restaurant, 190 Farmer’s Lane, Santa Rosa, 521-9608.
Also at 14301 Arnold Drive, Suite 19
Glen Ellen, 707.996.9930
2
A friend and I ate there for lunch today. The entrees are very expensive. We had the vegatarian lunch special priced at $13.99. A sampler platter of sorts. It was prettygood but flavored for the american palate or Oakmont crowd. The man in the suit who greeted us (with dark glasses) kept walking slowly around the place and was kind of annoying. Good wait staff though. I think if they put a buffet in it will fill up with more people.
Way overpriced! Ate there in Glen Ellen and it was good, but cost prohibitive for me.
Heather, spell check! What color was the fruit died? Etc. Good restauant, though.
The prices look pretty high. I think I’ll stick to Torch of India for the 9.99 lunch buffet. Best of luck to them though.
Good news and bad news. We were able to keep our consumption of their delicious food in check, since it was a bit of a trip out to Glen Ellen with a very nice outdoor and indoor setting above a creek. Now, they are in Santa Rosa, so I see Indian food comas too regularly in the future 😉 We really like Indian food and have for years. This has been our go to from the time we found it quite a few years ago. Every time family members come up from San Francisco, at least one night we trek out to Yeti. Now it is just too easy LOL. You are in for a treat. Very nice people too.