Proof of insanity coming in hot, peeps; ‘hot’ being the literal word - only His Nibs and I would go and dine at a Nepalese and Indian restaurant on a day that hit 37C!! You have never seen two people be more grateful to feel air-con in a venue – honestly, if there was an air-con altar, I would’ve worshipped at it! The other huge positive is that there is a car park right next door to the restaurant in question, Yak and Yeti in Belper; handy whether the sun is hotter than heck, or if it’s slinging it down.
Yak and Yeti has been open in Belper for seven months (basically since the beginning of 2026), having has a sister site in Beeston that shares the name; both venues are owned by the same team, Balram Poudel and his wife. Those of you who have dined in Nepalese establishments before will get exactly what I mean when I say that the greeting we received was pure joyousness. Hospitality is woven into the DNA of the Nepalese, whether that be personally at home or in a trading environment, and it shows in the welcome you’re given.
The décor at Yak and Yeti is just as colourful and welcoming as the people, and has changed beyond all recognition since it was Dot Teas Emporium. Beautiful red and gold patterned wallpaper is complemented by the cloths on the tables and the heavy napkins that were arranged in artful spirals at each place setting. In the window, by our table, were stunning garlands of pale pink blossoms and gorgeous feature bulbs, and a deep forest green on the chair upholstery matches the faux foliage wall perfectly.
Whilst the drinks menu isn’t the biggest you’ll ever encounter, it certainly isn’t lacking either, offering a decent choice of wines, lagers, cocktails and softs. I fancied a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and The Man happily ordered a pint of draught Cobra lager. With refreshment sorted and the offer of Poppadoms and Pickles accepted, we turned our attention to the menu. Yak and Yeti offer a great range of dishes from Nepal and India, bridging the differences between the two cuisines brilliantly. We were informed that, if there were favourite meals of ours that weren’t on the menu, Chef would happily prepare those for us; examples being Biryani and Sizzling Dishes, and you can request extra spice, too if you want more heat. As standard, most dishes are cooked to a medium spice level.
Although Nepal and India often find their cuisines bumped together, there are several key differences between the pair. Perhaps the most obvious difference is the consistency: Indian dishes are renowned for heavier, rich sauces that incorporate lots of cream and/or ghee (butter), whereas Nepalese offerings are lighter textured with an emphasis more on herbs, and are often based around clear ‘broths’. Nepal has a couple of spices unique to it; Timur (a Sichuan Pepper) and Jimbu a high-altitude member of the Allium family that imparts a punchy umami note.
One iconic Nepalese morsel is Momo, gorgeous little dumplings that can be filled with vegetables, meat or a combination of them. At Yak and Yeti, they also offer a zhuzhed up version of the standard ones, with Chilli in, (both versions are £7.95) and that is what His Nibs ordered. I fancied the Samosa Chat (£6.95), though I had been tempted by the Vegetable Pakora.
Both starters were immaculately presented on dramatic black plates that allowed the colourful food to pop against them. A quintet of good-sized Momo awaited The Man’s attention and, cutting into one, you could see how stuffed they were with moist, flavoursome, shredded Chicken . The simple flour-and-water dough had a fluted, pinched-together top and Chef had cooked them perfectly so that they had a delightful chew time to them without being tough. A fresh side salad provided a cool temperature contrast to the warm dumplings as well as some crunch and colour.
I know Samosa Chat isn’t strictly a Nepalese offering, but I can never resist this simple dish that punches above its weight in terms of taste and texture. The crunchy Samosas had been crushed to break up their crisp outer, partnered by tiny strands of Sev (those crunchy bits of fried chickpea flour dough in Bombay Mix), and the soft filling of Potato, Peas and spices was laid-bare, patiently waiting for me. Well, I couldn’t keep it hanging on, could I, so I tucked in with gusto, rewarded with a multitude of spices and soft vegetables. My palate savoured the familiar tangy zap of Tamarind sauce as it cut through the other elements, and then the cooling creaminess of natural yoghurt rounded it all off. I had the same delicious salad as The Man, though I was more appreciative of the vegetable art than he had been: spirals of Carrot were tightly coiled into the hollowed-out centre of a thick Cucumber slice. Simple, but stunning.
Given the heat of the evening, the glasses of iced water that Balram brought over for us to enjoy whilst we munched was a touch that was more welcome than usual! Bless you for your thoughtfulness, Balram. For mains, we’d gone for a 50:50 split between Indian and Nepalese dishes, just to see if Chef did them equally well – he did, by the way. I opted for the Gurkhali Chicken (£14.95), and The Man chose his beloved Railway Lamb (£16.95). We had a portion of Mushroom Rice (£4.95) and a Roti Bread (£3.50) to go with our mains, and I had high hopes of dunking both into any remaining sauce!
As with our starters, the mains and sundries were all presented to a high standard; how bougie is it to have a carved Carrot ‘feather’ jauntily perched in your curry?! Love it!! Both curries had unctuous sauces, though both tasted markedly different. The Man’s was earthy and deep in its profile, matching the full flavour of the tender Mutton chunks superbly. Onions and Tomatoes formed the base of the sauce/gravy, pimped with butter and cream, and a hefty dose of spices tantalised the senses. My Gurkhali dish was just as fabulous, with what seemed an entire flock’s worth of Chicken pieces mingled in its sauce. The chicken was sublimely moist and tender, partnered by softened vegetables and a brighter, sharper flavour from the sauce bounced around in the mouth.
At first glance, both of us wondered if we’d have enough rice; under-estimate the portion size at your peril is my advice! We honestly thought that it was a good job we’d ordered bread, too, but no, the bowl housing the grains was one of those bottomless ones that, hard as we tried, never got finished. Each rice grain was soft and fluffy and there were loads of mushroom slices in there, adding a gorgeously rich earthy hint to the side dish.
Under the lightest layer of crispness was a beautifully soft, chewy bread that, as I predicted, provided the perfect vessel with which to scrape up every last bit of our glorious sauces. Chef had quartered the Roti for us as it left the kitchen, so there was considerably less faffing about than there is when you have to try and tidily tear a whole bread at the table. I don’t know about you all, but I am possibly the messiest diner when it comes to bread, whether it be dinner rolls, or breads such as Naan, Paratha or Roti; as such, I was jolly grateful to see the work had [mostly] been done for me.
Throughout the evening, the service had been second-to-none. We had wanted for nothing and Balram, who had served us all evening, was beyond polite and took every opportunity to engage in conversation. The other thing I’m marvellous at (other than eating!) is yapping, so I loved getting to know this wonderful gent better – Belperites please do get behind this incredible restaurant, you will be rewarded with such warmth and gratitude, as well as hospitality like no other. I shall admit to a pang of jealousy that you have yet (or should that be ‘yeti’?!) another cracking eaterie in your fold. Hot Wings very happily given to Yak and Yeti - next time we come I am going to ask Chef to make Chicken Choila for me.
Yak and Yeti is running a 2-4-1 on main courses (when you order a starter, too) on Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday's until the end of August 2026 – the perfect excuse to go and try this restaurant for yourself. Closed on Monday, Yak and Yeti is open Tues-Fri 4pm-10pm, Saturday 3.30pm-10pm, and Sunday 3pm-9pm. To book a table, call 01773 851546 or visit www.yaknyetibelper.co.uk and hit the ‘book a table’ button.
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