It’s peak durian season — you can tell by the stinky whiffs you get every now and then, especially when you’re walking along streets packed with fruit eateries. Besides the OG of durian buffets at Goodwood Park Hotel, plenty of dessert spreads have popped up across the island, including one cafe’s unusual “durian omakase” experience, where you get to try uncommon varietals.
This month, the latest in line is Makan @ Jen, the restaurant at Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore. Hailing the King of Fruits in its own way, the durian feast takes place every Thursday in July, doling out free flow portions of varieties such as Golden Phoenix, Little Swallow, and Berkeley at the outdoor terrace.
That’s on top of your usual servings of grilled seafood and meats, fresh crustaceans like snow crab leg, black mussel, and white clam, salad bowls, cheese plates, sashimi and sushi, BBQ meats, noodles, and local dishes. On the sweet side, besides mango mousse cake, red velvet cake, and black sesame panna cotta, durians take over the desserts as well, with Swiss roll, pengat, bubur cha cha, and cream puff options.
Alternatively, you can skip the heaty fruit and cool down with chendol, sea coconut, or lychee shaved ice, as well as ice cream in flavors like jackfruit, yam, chocolate, sweet corn, and mango.
But if still can’t bring yourself to see past the pungent aroma of durians, well, here’s a bunch of photos featuring hot dudes tenderly cradling the spiky fruit. You’re welcome.
FIND IT:
Durian Feast Buffet is on from July 4-25; every Thurs, 6:30pm-10pm, at Makan @ Jen, Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore.
Adults $58, children $29.
MRT: Somerset
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