BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The rotis were flawless, king-size rounds. Each one was thin and even, freckled with char and shimmering. The dough had been rolled and cooked to order, so the rotis came out hot and supple, stacked on a paper plate alongside deli containers of dal and a few plastic spoons.

It was a modest-looking setup. But if you were tired and bleary-eyed from the road, like so many of the drivers who parked their big rigs in the lot behind Punjabi Dhaba, it was a luxurious break from fast-food chains and gas-station snacks.