Inspired by the regional cuisine of Northern India, Southern India, the Punjab region and Nepal, the dishes at this establishment wake up the palate with explosive flavors. I have been privileged enough to have visited both locations, and they are equally delicious with plenty of free parking available at each site.
The scenic, woodsy location in Glen Ellen is at 14301 Arnold Drive and the larger location, with a buffet option on certain days, in Santa Rosa is at 190 Farmer's Lane.
The service and seating are pleasant and comfortable, and the decor was a feast for the eyes. I have visited Nepal and India in past years and some of the art pieces were similar to things I brought home from these far away locations. The food and the decor made me feel very welcomed and relaxed.
https://www.yeticuisine.com/
Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.
Plain Naan. Even though it's in the name, I would say this was not "plain" at all, but quite flavorful on its own. Speckled with dots of nigella, this naan was served hot, with billows of steam escaping when torn apart. There were some crusty parts and some soft parts, and the size was large enough to serve a whole family. A must have with the meal.
Samosa. House-made puff pastry filled with potatoes and peas. The shell was flaky and crispy without being too hard. The potato and pea filling was seasoned with fragrant cumin and other spices. I was also very impressed by the fresh garnish. This was so fresh, I ended up eating it as a side salad with some of the tamarind and mint sauce served along with these delightful parcels.
Chicken Momo. These golf-ball sized dumplings were filled with juicy ground chicken, cilantro, turmeric and other spices. One order included six, they were served in a bamboo steamer basket, and arrived at the table piping hot. The house-made wrappers had just the right amount of chew and were just the right thickness to properly hold all that lovely filling. These were some of the best momos I've tasted, since traveling to Nepal.
Vegetable Momo. Another delicious dumpling dish, this one filled with wilted cabbage, carrot and cilantro. The veggies were nicely seasoned with spices. I would even say they were juicy and just as tasty as the chicken filled dumplings. The fresh garnish added an extra side salad for me as well.
Trio of sauces. This was not a separate menu item, although I almost wished it was, as I wanted to order pints of these to take home. These came with our order of samosas and momos. The green was the fresh and fragrant Somname mint chutney, the red was a spicy, but fruity and flavorful chili sauce and the brown was a sweet and mild date chutney. All very delicious and all used up by the end of our meal.
Tandoori Chicken. This was almost a whole chicken that had an overnight marinade in yogurt, ginger, and garam masala, which is a mixture of several different spices. This was then roasted until smokey, tender and with bits of char from the hot tandoor. The sizzling plate presentation gave out great aromas and a spectacle of sounds that made my mouth water. Each piece of bone-in chicken was juicy, perfectly seasoned and spiced just right, and the vegetables on the bottom had a nice char where it touched the sizzle platter.
Saag Gosht. Chopped chunks of lamb were slowly stewed with fenugreek, fennel, onions and garlic. It was then finished with fresh spinach and topped with cilantro. A wonderfully saucy and mildly spicy dish, this paired very nicely with the rice and naan.
Saag Paneer. A thick and hearty stew of rich and creamy spinach with cubes of house made farmer's cheese. This cheese was squeaky like cheese curds but dense and hearty like halloumi. This version was a bit saucier than other versions I've tried, but it tasted very complex. It had a depth of flavor, as if it was cooked for hours by someone with an experienced use of aromatics and spices. Spooned over rice or naan, this was one of my favorite versions of this dish that I've tried.
Lamb Shank Curry. I was pleasantly surprised to see two pieces of tender, falling-off-the-bone shank in this dish. Other restaurants usually just offer one shank. The sauce in this dish was fantastic. Slow cooked with tomatoes, onions, ginger, chili and cardamom, the sauce really made this dish shine.
Kashmiri Pulao. Given the levels of flavor and texture of this bowl of what seemed to be simple rice, it was a side dish that could have been a meal on its own. This saffron rice included roasted nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit and peas. It was very fragrant, each piece of rice remained separate. This was also a deceivingly large portion, given the shape of the vessel it was artfully served in.
It's a shame this restaurant is a bit of a drive for me, but I will happily travel the distance for these flavorful dishes.
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