A Landmark Week for San Francisco Bay Area's Desi Community: Diwali Goes Official and a Hidden Gem Gets Its Due
It has been a landmark week for the Bay Area's South Asian community, with a historic cultural recognition at the state level and a beloved regional Indian restaurant stepping into the spotlight it has long deserved.
🪔 California Becomes Third U.S. State to Make Diwali an Official Holiday
Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation making Diwali an official California statewide holiday, set to take effect on January 1. Under the new law, public schools and community colleges may close on Diwali, state employees can elect to take the day off with pay, and public school students will receive an excused absence to celebrate. The bill was coauthored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra of San Jose and Assemblymember Darshana Patel of San Diego, and its language was carefully crafted to recognize that Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. California joins Pennsylvania and Connecticut as the only U.S. states to have granted the festival this official status, a milestone that carries particular weight given that roughly 20% of the nation's Indian American population — nearly one million people — calls California home. [2]
🍛 Silicon Valley's Best-Kept Secret: A World-Class Indian Restaurant Hidden in a Business Park
Tucked away inside an unassuming Silicon Valley business park, a standout Indian restaurant has quietly earned recognition as one of the best in all of California, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The restaurant, Saapaaduu, located in San Jose, has drawn praise for the depth and authenticity of its regional Indian cooking, which sets it apart from more mainstream Indian dining options in the Bay Area. Its out-of-the-way location has done little to dampen enthusiasm among dedicated diners willing to seek it out. The Chronicle's spotlight on the restaurant is a reminder that the South Bay's large and vibrant Indian American community continues to support exceptional desi culinary talent, even when it hides in plain sight. [1]
Sources: [2] ABC7 Bay Area · [1] San Francisco Chronicle