FOB in VIETNAM - DAY 117/365: DURIAN… This stuff is one of, if not the most feared fruit on the planet. And that’s almost exclusively due to its smell. The one I tried today was pleasantly tasty not nearly as smelly as some that I’ve been around in the past. The smell is quite distinctive and can be very overpowering, kind of like marijuana, but oddly more off-putting. Lower quality Durian can also taste more like it smells, I’ve heard.
Although this stinky, spiky fruit is considered offensive to most westerners, Durian is one of the most popular fruits all across S.E. Asia and something that you must try at least once if you manage to get to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, etc.. It’s almost a religion in these countries, as you can tell but the $8 price tag.
The longer I live here, I find myself opening my mouth to things that I wouldn’t even consider eating in the past. It just goes to show you that a lot of who you are, what you know, and what you do, is largely dictated by your location. I love that about Vietnam.. I feel like I’ve in some way been reborn.
Banh Mi Sau Rieng (Durian banh mi) street food tasting & experience rating: 12/10 ! Xin Một Miếng
