With so many durian stalls to choose from, Rob and I asked our Singaporean friend Qinghui to choose where she wanted to meet us. She chose Sembawang Durian stall, the stomping ground of the happiest durian vendor on earth.
On his 60th birthday this year, Mr. Yap made headline news when he gave away over 1,000 kg of durian to celebrate his big day. He was in a particularly good mood the day we visited because it was the last day of the season and he was looking forward to a month of rest. While we exclaimed over his durians, he sat with us and enjoyed a beer.
A man who loves durian but doesn’t eat it, Mr. Yap had opened his stall that day just for us. When another group of people wandered by, he jumped up and began pushing durians on them, giving them away for free. “Last day!” he kept exclaiming. As he opened each durian he made an excited moan. “Whoaaa is good, is good!”
It was a jovial and fun atmosphere. Equally fun was catching up with Qinghui and watching her eat durian with a spoon and fork, a new one even for us. We enjoyed trying two new varieties; the Grand Old Lady and the Black Pearl, as well as revisiting some old favorites.
12 Jalan Tampang,
Sembawang Garden Arcade
Singapore 758956
93441512, 97598265
3pm to 11pm during season
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