Durian Pancakes

Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio
Le Thi Rieng Park
Cach Mang Thang Tam
District 10

Durian Fruit

The other night, my landlady’s daughter, Ngoc, and her boyfriend, Vinh, called to invite Hai and I to join them for a late evening treat. What a nice surprise! Yes, sounds fun. Meet you downstairs in 20 minutes.

The other night, my landlady’s daughter, Ngoc, and her boyfriend, Vinh, called to invite Hai and I to join them for a late evening treat. What a nice surprise! Yes, sounds fun. Meet you downstairs in 20 minutes.

Then they told us – we’d be “enjoying” Durian Pancakes.  OH DEAR!

Well, I had recently promised someone (can’t recall who) that after living in Vietnam over six years, it soon would be time to give Durian another try.

I tried eating Durian on my first visit to S.E. Asia decades ago.  I recall that I was barely able to get past the horrendous smell of the fruit and actually place a piece of the fruit in my mouth.  It took all my willpower to choke down just a small bite.  And, the foul taste lingered in my mouth and tummy for many hours thereafter, in spite of a quick follow-up meal and several drinks trying to rid the distaste.

But, I appreciate that all my Vietnamese friends are in love with this fruit. They say it’s amazing and delicious! And now I’m actually living in Vietnam.

Soooo, it was time to give Durian another chance. Perhaps whipped into a “tasty” pancake would be the best way to revisit Durian.

We walked 100 meters outside our front doors and crossed ever-congested Cach Mang Thang Tam street.

“Welcome to my new shop!”  Vinh announced as we entered Le Thi Rieng Park.

Durian Panckes

What!?  Oh wow!  Vinh was now the proud new business owner of Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio, a modern and trendy new fast food eatery right at the entrance to Le Thi Rieng Park –  featuring Durian Pancakes!

I WAS TRAPPED! NO WAY OUT NOW! Common courtesy to my host now required that I ingest the popular, loved, foul fruit.  OK – I was ready.

Actually, the clean, spiffy decor and the friendly staff of the eatery, along with the good company, all eased my mind a bit.  But surprisingly, the pancakes themselves looked great as they sizzled on the grill. Mmnn? They actually looked yummy.

Freshly grilled Durian pancakes as you wait at Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio

Yummy pancakes with a creamed Durian filling!

Vinh ordered, chatted with his staff and returned to our outdoor table at the edge of the park.  OK, ready – here they are!  (All eyes turned to me.) Enjoy đi!

I carefully nibbled around the edges of the pancake without reaching the creamed Durian filling in the center.  The pancakes themselves were wonderful – tasty, with a crispy exterior and slightly chewy cake interior.  Very very nice, I complimented.

Now, breathe deep, chin up – bite deep into the pancake treat to “enjoy” a mouthful of the Durian filling.

Oh!  Yes, now I remember. How could they say this is good?   Never mind, swallow.  Take another bite.  Finish it. Your Vietnamese host is watching, attentively.

There!  I ate a Durian Pancake. Finished. NOT QUITE.

Special Durian-filled pastries too

Now, it seems I had to try the special Durian-filled pastry cream puff as well.  Oh, thank you so much.

Again, breathe deep, chin up – bite into the pastry puff.

Swallow.  Try again, swallow.  There – finished.

Hai very much enjoyed our evening snacks.  I very much enjoyed having the experience behind me.  Actually, looking back, it was okay.  I ate it all!  We thanked our hosts profusely.

All in all, a fun experience and a fun evening.  Thank you Ngoc and Vinh.  And good luck with your new business venture.

Vinh & Ngoc and Joe & Hai enjoying a late night snack at Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio, Le Thi Rieng Park

I do often see the young Vietnamese Le Thi Rieng Park patrons lining up at Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio for their yummy Durian pancakes.

Eating Saigon!’s Yum Meter

Durian-based foods are perhaps the only foods for which I feel obligated to apply a double-standard on Eating Saigon!’s Yum Meter. The acceptability of the basic taste of this fruit is so dramatically different for those who LOVE Durian and for those who are repelled by the smell (let alone the taste) of the fruit.

Thus, for the first time, Eating Saigon!’s Yum Meter offers for Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio a rating of both a YUM YUM for Vietnamese, most other Asian folk, and strong-stomached Westerners;  and a HO HUM for most (but, not all) Westerners. It’s absolutely worth a try to see where you fit!

View Bánh Sầu Riêng Durio in a larger map