On the road, a taste of home

WALKING INTO Punjabi Tandoor, located in a strip mall in Carlsbad, about 25 miles north of San Diego, I’m struck by the contrast between the harsh fluorescent lights and the delightful fragrance of garam masala, onions and garlic. The owners already know what I want, ladling my favorite three-item combo into a Styrofoam container of curries heaped over fragrant jasmine rice. They pile on generous dollops of cauliflower and saag paneer. I dig into this quintessential North Indian fare, the taste immediately reminding me of home.

Punjabi Tandoor, run by Bakhtawar Saini and his cousin, Jagdish, caters to Indian immigrants in Southern California, people working in software or biotech, like me, or studying at nearby colleges. Eateries like this have sprung up all over California, in strip malls, business parks and along the freeway rest stops where the old burger joints once reigned supreme. They serve the growing ranks of Sikh long-haul truckers who move produce, fruits,