Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Singapore Day One: Goodwood Park Hotel

Durian. What are you thinking about with that word in mind?

A lot of people probably don't know what it is. For those of you who do (and if you're reading this then you probably do) there is quite a clear divide between those who love it and those who hate it. I know that WX is a lover of durian whereas I'm a bit less obsessed with it. However, I would still jump at the chance of trying any sort of durian dessert. Before I left, I had been directed to Goodwood Park Hotel by a good friend of mine, SL, who claims that this place offers the best durian puffs in Singapore. I've never tried them before and was extremely excited at the prospect of trying it even after my huge meal at Maxwell.



We were a bit confused initially about where exactly durian puffs would be sold at a hotel like this one which, from the main entrance, was modern and upper class - nicely air conditioned with a couple of high-range restaurants. After asking reception however, we were told that a little cake shop near the hotel's tailor would be the source of our stomach's happiness for that afternoon!


Now, I don't want to be mean...but when we asked about the puffs we were told that they had none - durians weren't in season yet and the hotel waited until they were perfect before selling the puffs in March! So unfortunately for us (and possible for your hungry eyes), we didn't try any durian dessert that afternoon.


Instead, we satisfied ourselves with two cakes - a Royal Chocolate Crunchy Hazelnut Cake and a Blueberry Cheesecake from the cake shop.


Although I missed out on the puffs, I daresay that on a completely different level of satisfaction, this chocolate selection really hit the spot for me! The crunch hazelnut texture was beautiful and the chocolate base just melted in my mouth.


The cheesecake for me, was nothing particularly special. Delicious nonetheless but if we had ordered this cake alone, it wouldn't have been able to fill the void that was the durian puff! Even though we did miss out, it was also a nice excuse just to sit and relax inside a completely different environment from the hawker centre. This happened to be the only occasion I allowed myself to not dine at authentic stores on the streets so I really did make the most of the cool airconditioning that afternoon!


Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scots Road

6 comments:

  1. Can I make a suggestion?

    I want you guys to find a place that does buffet breakfasts, with a price that reflects its quality of food. I've been told Hilton does breakfasts at $42, which is what I'm considering. I need help choosing.

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  2. Anon: That doesn't really sound like a suggestion but we'll look into it. We're all a big fan of breakfasts here at NomIt so we will try our best.

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  3. heh heh im going to malaysia and hopefully singapore this saturday so woohoo durian season w00t!

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  4. The congee selection at Goodwood is excellent, some of the best in Singapore. Try it out next time you're there - it's also surprisingly cheap for such a reputed hotel.

    And I can say from experience that the durian puffs are pretty good. Not amazingly mind-blowing, but pretty good. But dessert buffets always seem a little excessive to me...

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  5. @AY

    Yeah I want you guys to do a blog/review of one. Thanks!

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  6. chocolatesuze: haha, yeah I've been keeping up to date with you travels on twitter haha. enjoying starbucks it seems? ;)

    the ninja: i think next time i'll take some pointers from you about where to eat!

    anonymous: you'll have to bear with us for a bit but it will happen! =)

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