Like cilantro, durian is one of those things you either love or hate. The pungent odor wafting from behind the counter as the pastry chef rolled his infamous durian cake made me quite sure I was going to fall into the latter category. With pieces of raw durian meat lurking inside layers of sponge cake, the dessert was still no less daunting for a durian virgin like me.
The puffy sponge cake buffered the sharp taste of durian. The cake’s soft texture actually complemented the creamy filling quite well. The durian filling, which I can only describe as a combination of sweet rotten egg and garlic, overwhelmed the light vanilla flavor of the cake. “This tastes so awful,” I told myself as I took another bite.
Despite its strong and foul flavor, something about the dessert continues to lure you in after each mouthful. Maybe it’s the hope that your initial opinion will change, or maybe I’m just a masochist. Five bites later, the putrid aftertaste in my mouth was enough for me to stop subjecting myself to the King of Fruit's torture. They say it’s an acquired taste, but it will definitely take more incentive for me to acquire it. I quickly wrapped up the cake as tightly as I could and went home to brush my teeth. As for the rest of the cake, if anyone wants some, be my guest.
Get it yourself!
Asia Bakery Inc
115 N 10th St.
(215) 238-9295
Price: $10
