You can now buy a Kapsalon spreadable salad at Lidl (and this is what it tastes like)
We spotted it in the promotional leaflet, came across it in the refrigerated section, and now it’s sitting in our own fridge: Lidl’s Kapsalon chicken salad. Where did this idea come from? And: what does it taste like?
Almost every week, Lidl puts a different nationality in the spotlight, culinarily speaking. In recent months, we’ve already been able to enjoy Italian, Caribbean (remember the roti panini?) and Greek specialties (Gyros and Tzatziki chips), and now it’s the Netherlands’ turn. And what’s being served? As part of the Dutch regional salad range: a Kapsalon chicken salad.
Herring? Licorice? Yuck!
Does the Netherlands have an interesting culinary culture? It depends a little on whom you ask, because most tourists aren’t particularly charmed by 100 percent Dutch snacks such as herring and double-salted licorice. Still, there really are things to enjoy. Bitterballen are a huge hit with many foreign visitors, and poffertjes go down well too.
Don’t lie
But our street-food culture isn’t exactly something to wave the flag about: food from vending machines is typically Dutch, as are those mysterious frikandellen—we appreciate them, but if you call them a culinary masterpiece, you’re lying—and then, more recently, the Kapsalon. Just compare that with taquerias in Mexico, banh mi from Vietnam and gyros from Greece—don’t we look rather shabby by comparison?
Crazy combos
Lidl disagreed and decided to honor the quintessentially Dutch Kapsalon in the form of a so-called spreadable salad. Previous experiences with creative supermarket combinations weren’t all equally successful. Just think of the frikandel salad: a salty bite with tiny pieces of frikandel. The pancake custard: no pancake to be found. And the pizza with sausage rolls: bland and dry.
Kapsalon with chicken?
But FavorFlav’s Sharon, a fan of quality snack food, immediately volunteered (without any coercion) to try the Kapsalon salad. Sharon: ‘It’s a shame they made it with chicken and not, as it should be, shawarma. Kapsalon, a Rotterdam invention, is a dish of fries covered with shawarma, topped with grilled cheese and salad, accompanied by garlic sauce and sambal. And yes, it’s fantastic—not just according to me; in recent years, Kapsalon has been embraced far beyond Rotterdam. Kapsalon as a salad spread is new to me.’
What does it taste like?
‘A Kapsalon spread salad… it does give me the feeling that the Kapsalon has been thrown into a blender, and that kind of mush doesn’t look very appetizing. In such a puréed state, you also miss the different textures in your mouth. Something crunchy, something soft, something firm—you get where I’m going. Only soft is boring. On a white Kaiser roll, then, for the crunch. Ooh, this is good. It really tastes like a Kapsalon. I miss pieces of salty fries, I miss the shawarma, I miss the grilled cheese and I miss the tipsy state I’m normally in when I order a Kapsalon. But still: this is surprisingly delicious!’
Want to try it yourself? The Dutch regional salad range comes in three varieties; besides the Kapsalon chicken salad, you can also buy a herring salad and a mackerel salad. All three cost €1.79 each.
Also read:
- You can now buy gyros and tzatziki chips at Lidl, and this is what we think of them
- You’ll want this: Lidl is launching a vlammetjes bapao from Topking
- Lidl sells the happiest eggs in the Netherlands
