kapsalon — Netherlands

Kapsalon is a layered fast-food dish built in a single tray: a base of fried potatoes topped with sliced shawarma or döner meat, covered with grated cheese and melted under a grill, then finished with a heap of fresh salad, garlic sauce and a hot sauce such as sambal drizzled over the top. This dish is reported from the Netherlands, where it took shape in Rotterdam's fast-food scene and is now a fixture on the menu of Turkish-run snack bars across the city and, increasingly, the wider country and neighbouring Belgium. Its name, which literally means 'hair salon' in Dutch, comes from the trade of the customers who are said to have first asked for it to be put together this way. To prepare it, fries are cooked until crisp, either freshly cut or from frozen, and spread across the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Marinated chicken or lamb is grilled or pan-fried and layered over the fries, then a generous scattering of grated cheese goes on top and the whole dish is placed under a hot grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling. What distinguishes this version is the fresh, cold layer added right before serving: chopped lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red onion are piled over the hot cheese, followed by garlic sauce and a drizzle of sambal or another chilli sauce, so the dish arrives with a hot, cheesy base under a crisp, sharp topping rather than everything served uniformly hot.