Harjinder Singh and his son prabhjeet
Singh Cruisin Cuisine Truck Susan Andress
Getting Ready to open Susan Andress
What's on the menu Susan Andress
prabhjeet taking orders Susan Andress
Singh Cruisin Cuisine takes the taste of India to the customers. There's some American and Greek fare, too. Just for variety.
Going mobile with his menu makes good business sense to Harjinder Singh, who launched Singh Cruisin Cuisine earlier this month to serve lunchtime crowds in Battle Creek's downtown area and Fort Custer Industrial Park.
Singh is no stranger to the restaurant scene since opening The Taste of India restaurant in 2012 in the city’s downtown area. His restaurant clientele planted the seed that grew to be his food truck.
"With the lunch crowd at the restaurant I have customers who come from the Kellogg company and Bronson Battle Creek, and the factories at Fort Custer," Singh says. "They all say they love our food but have short lunch breaks. That’s how I came up with the idea. If a customer doesn’t have time, I go to them."
From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday Singh is loading his 16-foot-long truck, officially known as a Special Transitory Food Unit, and serving food.
In addition to traditional Indian cuisine, his daily menu includes American fare such as hamburgers and a Greek gyro so that customers have more choices. So, on any given day the Indian side of the menu board includes two different entrees, a choice of Indian breads including naan, and two different appetizers. Giving customers the option of burgers or gyros will get them to his truck and may encourage them to try Indian fare, he says.
The Indian food that is served out of the food truck is prepared each morning in the restaurant. The burgers and gyros are made in the truck that comes complete with a grill, fryer, stove burners, and a refrigerator. During a stop in the downtown area on a recent workday, Singh served more than 100 customers.
"I take enough food for 100 people," Singh says. "I typically serve 60 percent Indian food and 40 percent American."
Chicken Tikka Masala, kebabs that may contain either chicken or lamb, samosas, and lamb dishes are customer favorites.
Singh’s Cruisin Cuisine joins a lineup of new entries into the Battle Creek food scene, including Thai Flavor on Columbia Avenue and Territorial Brewing Company on Helmer Road.
Local economic development officials say the increasing and diverse dining options are a positive step for the city.
"Whether it’s ethnic diversity or diversity in cuisine and vegetarian, vegan or meat options, having choices is important to the quality of life," says Rob Peterson, Downtown Development director. "Battle Creek is a lot more worldly than even people who live here give it credit for."
Major employers such as Kellogg and the Federal Center attract employees from other areas of the world who look for food offerings that are not basic fare, Peterson says.
The recently unveiled Battle Creek Vision, a blueprint to create positive growth in the community, will be a catalyst for new businesses such as restaurants, says Ted Dearing, Battle Creek assistant city manager.
"I think we are, after a very long and difficult period, starting to see a turnaround in the local economy. There is enthusiasm around the Battle Creek Vision process that plays into some of the enthusiasm in developing new startups," Dearing says. "I look at the way things are coming together relative to proposed investments in the downtown. People see that as transformative to the downtown."
Singh supported that transformation in its earliest stages when he opened The Taste of India.
Born in Punjab, India, Singh moved to California in 1995 and learned to cook Indian food in Los Angeles. He started his first Indian food business in 1998 in Connecticut where his family lives. They are now operating seven Italian and Greek restaurants there.
In 2001 he married a woman from Michigan and together they moved to the Battle Creek area in 2006.
"When I moved to Battle Creek I was running a party store in Urbandale with my wife and when we got we started going to the Indian temple the community and everybody said they wished we had an Indian restaurant in Battle Creek and they asked me to open one," Singh says. "They said they would help me if I needed it."
The site of the former Tony’s Chinese restaurant at 215 W. Michigan Avenue was available for rent or lease and Singh opened his restaurant there.
"With a new business I’m always nervous because it’s a lifetime investment, especially putting in all new things but I was sure I would succeed," Singh says.
He has not been disappointed and says the popularity of his restaurant has exceeded his expectations.
"I have a lot of regulars, especially at dinnertime, and a lot of repeat customers," Singh says. "I do a lot of take-out, plus office catering, graduations, weddings, and meetings."
Many of the requests for graduations and weddings come from people outside of the Indian community.
Top-selling dishes in the restaurant are Chicken Tikka Masala, naan breads, Lamb Posanda and Lamb Madras. The tikka masala and tandoori dishes require the most preparation and Singh purchases the spices from a wholesaler in Detroit.
People often think that the food will be too spicy. "We tell our customers that all of our dishes can be made mild, medium or spicy," Singh says.
The success of his food truck and restaurant tell Singh that today people are more accepting of Indian food and are more willing to try it.
"The main thing is food quality and food quantity and reasonable prices. These are the main things, plus customer service," he says. "I just want people to come and check us out."
Jane C. Parikh is a freelance reporter and writer with more than 20 years of experience and also is the owner of In So Many Words based in Battle Creek.
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