Friday 26 July 2013

North South East West ... Where's the Best? Part One

Since it is the time of the year where somehow you were supposed to go home to eat dinner with your loved ones and suddenly there is this impending urge that tells you otherwise.

Somehow there's this little voice in your head that smoothly whispers into your ears and says it's only gonna take you 5mins to get there.

Somewhere along the routes on the way home you bound to catch a glimpse of that Prickly thing sitting very lonely in the corner and makes you just wanted to go forth and say Hi.

if you do detect that subconsciously you do display any of the above syndrome, you are confirmed to be a Durian Addict in the making!

Well fret not, at least I can assure you are not alone :)

I shall share with you some places that can curb your urge and your will never be too far away from it always. As part of the Phase One of the Prickly Sensations Durian Connect, I will share with you where I go for my Durian Fixes.

South: Where to get heart-warming durians when u need one?
Guan Hin Durian (55 Tiong Bahru Road, Tel: 62234868,Mdm Tan)

Guan Hin Durians - (Photo credits to Tiong Bahru Estate)



















What's interesting about Guan Hin you might say? Well, nothing really stands out in terms of Price or Quality of the Durians (dun get me wrong, they are still serving good quality durians and they are not of  the Geylang Clans), they really stands out just by being normal.

Yes, being very casually normal I must say. Just like how we used to go into a Kek-I (Provision Shop) in the 70s or 80s. You get the sense of belonging like how's life is like in a Kampong. Open House concept, feel free to browse and take the stuff and pay, sometimes can don't even pay.

Yes that's right. I did mention Provision Shop. Now what has that got to do with the Durians you might ponder?

Well, Chop Guan Hin just happen to be the oldest Provision Shop in the Tiong Bahru Estate, how about that! How old? Well, they started way back in the year that Hock Lee Bus Riot was the Talk of the Year! (1955). The old couples do not man the provision shop front, the people who patronised the store just take the stuff and leave the money on the counter. Self service with the plastic bags, take and go. Simple life. Open hearted

This old couple is very pleasant and down to earth and if you spend sometime there you will find it is such a joy just to be around them, nothing fanciful, they are not loud, just very simple folks. Their Provision Shop has become a used to be, why used to be?

Yes, it has been closed ever since Tiong Bahru Bakery came to town. :(
But they still sells the Heartwarming Durians. (Main stay Durians: MSW, Jin Feng, Ang Hei, D13, occasionally they bring in Milk Bottle. Milk Bottle? Is it a new Cultivar? No, just that to Mdm Tan that's what Green Bamboo used to be known.)

Well, do remember to drop by to say Hi to them whenever you are in that area. Just say that you are friends of Mr Lim if she ask. :)

Have a Nice Day

Regards,
PS


French Connections! Timber Amoureux de Durian!

Hi All, Prickly is back :) It's been a while since I pen some of the Durian Mania moments I had. Thought I would like to share some international affairs with a French lady at the end of the previous season to spice things up for the upcoming Durian Fieasta! PS meet up with this lovely lady who told me by stem or by thorns, find her some durians! Ha! She was adamant and determined to share Singapore's love of Durians to people in France and was writing articles on this website (http://www.singabuzz.sg/durian-what-else/) that reaches out to youngster from France who loves to travel to Singapore.



Pauline wanted the full package so Prickly showed her the Sniff, the Shake and the Pat on the Durian. it is her first, sort of, but nevertheless she exceled in flying colours! Well as it was end of season then there weren't much durians available so in case what durian is she having? Well its called the Pangmani (Thai Cultivar) often been mistaken as a MSW. Hopefully PS will get to show you the part Two of the French Romance in the coming season with the rest of the French Ladies :)