The vegetarian kumpir at Lalé, a Turkish restaurant in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, is a flattened baked potato topped with grilled veggies and kisir, a bulgur salad. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

Döner joints are everywhere in the Kaiserslautern area, and for good reason.

Germany is home to more than 3 million people of Turkish descent, many of whom have shaped the country’s fast-casual food scene over generations. And while döner, falafel and börek are common, finding a spot that serves homestyle, whole food-based Turkish meals rather than solely street food takes a little more digging.

For my family, that search ended years ago with Lalé, a small restaurant in Enkenbach-Alsenborn that’s long punched above its weight in both flavor and hospitality.

We lived in Turkey for four years when I was a kid, and the food made a lasting impression. When my parents moved to Kaiserslautern in 2014, they immediately started looking for a place that reminded them of what they had grown used to, and Lalé delivered.

They’ve since moved away, but every visit back includes a meal there. So when my husband and I relocated to the area earlier this year, it was at the top of the recommendation list.

My friend Marc, who lived in Istanbul as recently as 2022, agrees: Lalé is the best Turkish food in the area.

We first visited in January and instantly felt at ease. Families filtered in, regulars chatted with staff and takeout orders flowed steadily.

Spotting that we were new, a server came over and offered to walk us through the menu. That kind of hospitality goes a long way and is a big part of the reason we keep going back.

Baked with spinach and beyaz peynir, a mild white cheese, the pide appetizer at Lalé is served with a yogurt-based süzme sauce. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

Normally served on flatbread or wrapped in lavash, the köfte at Lalé in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, can be served on a hamburger bun in a nod to culinary trends in its native Turkey. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

On a recent trip, we started with a pide, a boat-shaped flatbread often compared to pizza but distinctly Turkish in flavor and form.

Ours was filled with spinach and beyaz peynir, a brined white cheese similar to feta but with a milder flavor and creamier texture.

The stuffed flatbread is served with a yogurt-based süzme sauce and is always a crowd pleaser. It’s ideal for sharing and packed with gentle, tangy flavor.

My husband went with his usual: a dürüm, or flatbread wrap, stuffed with grilled Mediterranean vegetables — smoky zucchini, sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes — wrapped in soft lavash with more süzme on the side.

No matter how they’re served, the grilled Mediterranean vegetables are a standout. Humble on paper, but full of smoky, charred flavor that lingers. Marinated and grilled to order, the vegetables show up in everything from dürüms to kumpir, and they’re quietly the backbone of the menu.

Stuffed with smoky grilled zucchini and peppers as well as fresh lettuce, onions and tomatoes, the grilled Mediterranean vegetable dürüm at Lalé is wrapped in soft lavash and served with a yogurt-based süzme sauce. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

The pide at Lalé in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, is filled with spinach and beyaz peynir cheese. The appetizer is served with tangy süzme sauce. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

Efes market in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, offers a variety of Mediterranean pantry staples for purchase, including infused olive oils and vinegars. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

The simplicity speaks to the quality of Lalé’s ingredients, many of which are sold at Efes, the family’s small market two doors down. With infused olive oils, fresh herbs, produce and deli-style antipasti, the store offers a snapshot of the same unpretentious, high-quality ingredients that make the restaurant satisfying.

I asked our server for a recommendation and was offered köfte, a classic dish of seasoned ground beef or lamb shaped into small meatballs. He said he’d serve it “the way we eat it in Istanbul.”

It arrived stacked in a hamburger bun. Not exactly traditional, but a rising trend in Turkish cities, according to Marc. The spiced meatballs were buried under hot sauce, cheese, onions and lettuce, then topped with a charred green pepper for a smoky-sweet balance.

I can see why this would normally be served as a dürüm. As a sandwich, it was definitely a fork-and-knife situation, but absolutely worth the mess. It was all the best parts of a meatball sub and a crunchy shaved salad enriched with Turkish flair.

Another time, we split the kumpir, a loaded baked potato topped with grilled veggies and kisir, a tomatoey bulgur salad. Served with a simple side salad and more yogurt sauce, it was rich, cozy and deeply satisfying.

Meals here are capped off with complimentary rose-flavored Turkish delight. While not made in-house, it’s a thoughtful touch and a light, playful way to sample one of Turkey’s most iconic and offbeat flavors.

The prices are also tough to beat. All three of us were stuffed for less than 35 euros on that most recent trip.

It was the kind of meal that reminds you why you keep coming back. And in my case, why my parents did, too.

Lalé

Address: Hauptstrasse 22, Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany

Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed weekends.

Prices: Main dishes range from 7 to 17.50 euros.

Information: www.lale-enkenbach.de

Two doors down from the Turkish restaurant Lalé in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, is the Efes market offering Mediterranean ingredients, produce and home goods. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)

Located in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany, Lalé serves homestyle Turkish dishes in a casual, family-friendly setting. (Zade Vadnais/Stars and Stripes)