Yak & Yeti, Somerville

Soft music fills Yak & Yeti's confines, where a design installation of white crisscrossing cords twists along the green ceiling, creating a gauzy canopy above tables. Within this artistic-leaning space, servers carry plates of India and Nepal's native cuisines, much of which are made with naturally low-fat ingredients such as chicken and vegetables. More than 120 culinary creations—from steamed chicken dumplings to boneless lamb—send their enticing aromas through the dining room and to waiting diners. In the kitchen, flames flicker in the clay tandoori oven as it bakes and crisps fish, naan, and kebabs. Complementing these main attractions are glassfuls of traditional beverages such as mango lassi or desserts of sweet milk balls, which chefs fry in a sugar syrup.