Why You Need to Try this Dutch Hair Salon Snack

Did you know that you can eat a hair salon? That’s to say, sort of. Kapsalon is the Dutch word for a hair salon. You might be wondering if the Dutch have gone mad. Don’t worry; they haven’t. Kapsalon is a fast food dish with roots in a Turkish shawarma snack bar, and it has become so popular that it is now enjoyed in other countries too.

What is a Kapsalon?

It all began in 2003 in a shawarma shop called El Aviva in the Delftshaven district in Rotterdam. Hairdresser, Nataniël Gomes, wanted something different than just shawarma. He must have said, ‘give me everything.’ And the owner Derwis Bengu handed him an aluminum tray with layers of fries, shawarma meat, two slices of cheese, garlic sauce and sambal, baked under the grill until the cheese had melted. Oh yes, and some lettuce on top for a healthy touch.

Who Invented the Kapsalon?

However, the greasy snack is not Derwis’s own invention. The spiritual father was Nataniël Gomes of hair salon Tati, a few doors down. Gomes always ordered fries with shawarma and sauce at El Aviva. Later, lettuce and cheese were added for health reasons.

After that day, when Gomes sent others to pick up his order, he said: ‘Just say, ‘kapsalon’ and they will understand. When other shawarma shops adopted the recipe, the kapsalon craze took off.

Today, Kapsalon lovers still debate the tastiest combination: shawarma meat or with döner kebab? Grated cheese or whole slices?

Kapsalon with a Twist

Kapsalon is a brilliant invention, and you can vary it endlessly. You might swap the fries for boiled potatoes, the meat for a fillet of sole, and top it with truffle mayonnaise and delicate Italian cheese. Or invent your own version. Kapsalon has become an indispensable part of the snack bar menu.

Basically a Shawarma Sandwich, but More

It is true, kapsalon is a type of on a shawarma sandwich. Take fries, shawarma, tomato, cucumber, garlic sauce, sambal and melted cheese and you have a kapsalon, at least one of the many combinations. There are all kinds of variations on this popular snack, including completely vegan kapsalons.

The ingredients can vary but two things remained: the aluminum tray and the fries. The meat might be shawarma, döner, or even fish. The sauce and cheese also come in countless variations

Most snack bars in Amsterdam feature kapsalon on their menu. It is a calorie bomb, but delicious to the last crumb.