Our “My Spot” series shares personal experiences with special places in California.
Deval Thaker’s favorite food is pani puri, a snack usually served by street vendors in India.
Thaker, an artist and mother, moved to California from India 14 years ago. She was pleasantly surprised to find this treat in her Fremont neighborhood -- at the Chaatpatta Corner. It's a tiny food stand tucked away in an Indian grocery store.
“I was very excited reading the name pani puri because I was like, 'Oh finally, something nice from back home,' ” Thaker explains.
After she found the Chaatpatta Corner about 10 years ago, Thaker says, “I would be here, I think, every week and eating pani puri.”