Jason F.
Yelp
Who knew wine country and cuisine from the Southern Asia region could go so well together? Tucked away in the woods and vineyards that make up Glen Ellen, California resides a quaint complex called the Jack London Village that houses business restaurants, shops and wine tasting rooms situated over a serene creek, and one of those businesses is Yeti Restaurant, which combines the flavors and cuisine of India and Nepal into one destination for lovers of both exotic cuisine and affordably priced meals. What brought a friend and I here on a recent weekend afternoon was we wanted to enjoy a quick lunch after a wine tasting at a nearby winery in Glen Ellen. When searching for places to dine for lunch nearby there aren't many options around so my friend suggested Yeti Restaurant after one of her friends said they used to come here multiple times as they loved it so much, and after enjoying our shared lunchtime meal, we could easily see why. Arriving without reservations, we had the option of sitting outside on their patio that overlooks the creek, and inside with their open-kitchen and bar overlooking their patio. We opted to sit inside as it was a bit chilly outside and with the smells from the kitchen emanating throughout, it made for the perfect setting.
The menu at Yeti Restaurant is separated into categories including Appetizers, Soup, Salad, Seafood Delicacies, Exquisite Chicken Curries, Fragrant Lamb Curries, Naan, Accompaniments, and Beverages. With names like that you can't go wrong with what you choose from their menu. We decided to split our meal and so we ordered from their Appetizer menu their Samosas, which were two homemade triangular pastries filled with potatoes and green peas lightly spiced with garlic ginger and cumin, and served with a red cabbage and carrot garnish. For our entrée, we decided to split a serving of their Chicken Curry which is cooked with tomatoes, onions, chili, mustard seeds and fresh curry leaves. To go with our meal we ordered a side of steamed rice and an order of their Olive Basil Naan, which is their traditional leavened bread baked to order in a tandoor. The samosas came out first and they were two perfectly deep-fried triangles that were piping hot upon being cut open with a fork and knife which was tempered once we added their sweet tamarind sauce and tangy mint chutney sauce. Then our entree, rice and bread were all brought out at once with everything tasting perfectly when combined together. The highlight of our meal had to have been their Naan bread, as we had originally assumed it would be sliced Naan bread, but it was more like its own pizza bread, ready to be sliced on its own and when paired with the extra curry sauce from our entrée, it tasted so authentic thanks to the flavor and preparation techniques.
Our chicken curry was a solid dish when paired with basmati rice served its goal in filling our bellies. It was such a solid meal with two plus courses that our final bill was a little over 34 dollars before gratuity was added in, which was more than reasonable. Knowing that Yeti Restaurant is here ready to satiate the appetites of locals and out-of-towners alike, especially when spending a day tasting wine at the many wineries and tasting rooms nearby, is like a breath of fresh air. We could have gone to your run of the mill local tavern that would serve traditional American fare but why not experience something unique in wine country and at Yeti Restaurant you can't get any more unique. By using fresh ingredients from local farms Yeti Restaurant is bringing their own unique spin to wine country, and being recognized by the Michelin Guide in the past certainly shows you something. With a second larger location in Santa Rosa the team at Yeti Restaurant continues to grow, and I for one, cannot wait to see where they grow to next!
