Dutch kitchen is something else. There is like steak baked in Becel butter, the typical Dutch tapas…read morekroket, frikandel, bitterballs, forgotten veggies for hipsters dug up somewhere called Pastinaak served at Michelin restaurants. And then... There is the epic Kapsalon.
Jups, look it up this time G translate is pretty accurate: 'Hairdresser's'. What on earth? Drowning fries in mayo since Pulp Fiction now this? Why tell me why.
Well there was this neighbour of a friend and his uncle said
that a guy running a hairdresser's in Rotterdam ordered this
dish on a regular basis. Mmm, what to do... No name for the
dish, name of the guy unknown, just this guy who ordered this dish.
The hairdresser's was born.
A dish with french fries, kebab, cheese, garlic sauce, sambal and
some lettuce & tomato to fluff it up. To further increase conscience,
it is completely spelt, gluten, anti-oxidant, vitamine free but does
offer value for money, 7 Euro for a whopping 1,800 calories on average.
Jamjamjam, gimme some.
Back to the gist, ah.
The thing about a Kapsalon is that it does take a chef to prepare a
good one. This fine balance easily crapped up with too much of this
too little of that. Things. Yes, I am a connoisseur when it come to
Kapsalon IMHE (E = Experience, so non negotiable)
So, there I am sitting behind my desk as usual at Haarlemmerstrasse
thinking how I could be more like Charlotte Crosby and monetize the
sheize out of everything and ooops, late again. 03:41 hours. Kebab House 42, a 3 minutes walk without interruption. Biggest hurdle, is Newman (see Seinfeld) working or not... Then no kapsalon and if lucky a little mediocre. If lucky, Master Chef is working and even at this hour, just before closing he just might prepare me this epic Kapsalon. Yes, because he truly is the Kapsalon Master Chef.
On my way, in the distance lights still burning Joehoe. Ha, can I have one Kapsalon please. Well, actually we are closed. Aaargh what to do? Master Chef there in front of me ... Kapsalon so close and so far... "Hey, I will make one for you."
Thank you kind Lord. He lit the stove and minutes later, there it was. My sweet Master Chef did it again, put a smile on my face. Because of a great Kapsalon when hope was fleeting. Yet, mostly because of some empathy at this hour and most important: Service Level. Service so many businesses lack (in Holland IMHE). People without responsibility: tomorrow another day, ah well what do I care, daddy days, x-factor und so weiter.
Then there is Master Chef at Kebab House 42. Who does care about his work, what his products are, how to prepare to perfection and everytime he delivers an Epic Kapsalon, even at 03:48 hours. With a smile.
Master Chef, you are a bit like the hairdresser's. If I knew your name I would put it here as a token of appreciation. Thank you :)