Ms Durian Review: New Cafe With Durian High Tea In Jalan Besar

Ms Durian is a durian cafe in Jalan Besar

I’ve always grown up loving durians: I often reminisce about the good ol’ days when I visited my grandparents’ house for durian parties on special occasions. Some of my fondest memories include sitting around with my cousins and feasting on durians together. When I learnt about Ms Durian, a specialty durian bakery and cafe in Jalan Besar, I was incredibly thrilled at the opportunity to review them. 

Ms Durian is the brainchild of two ambitious bakers—Ling Goh and Jeslyn Tan. The cafe started off as a humble bakery store in Potong Pasir in 2019, before moving to Jalan Besar during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. 

I managed to have a chat with Ling during our media tasting. Born into a family that runs a durian business, she grew up eating all kinds of durians, fostering her love for the fruit. Having the privilege of acquiring some of the best durians from her family business, she decided to open Ms Durian with Jeslyn, with the goal of serving up quality durian pastries in Singapore. 

Food at Ms Durian

I was certainly blown away by Ms Durian’s extensive menu. There’s an impressive selection of durian desserts to indulge in, ranging from milk pudding, to craquelins, macarons, cream puffs, and cakes. The owners are adamant about maintaining the quality of their pastries—all their items are freshly made in-house daily.

We started with their Afternoon Tea Set ($39+), which featured four types of petite durian pastries with varied durian intensities. 

We were recommended to start with the lowest durian intensity first—Fried Durian. This spherical dessert was crispy on the outside and filled with durian paste that had a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Not forgetting the rich coconut sauce which added a layer of sweetness, this pastry was surprisingly flavourful for a starter.

Next, we moved on to the Durian Craquelin, their best-selling item that comes bite-sized. While the craquelin featured a lighter crust as compared to the fried durian, it still had a pleasant flaky texture that complemented the smooth durian filling. 

An interesting item on this tea set is the Durian Macaron. The thick durian filling was incredibly creamy and mildly sweet, pairing nicely with the crispy macaron shell. Ling shared that their macaron shells use less sugar, allowing the natural sweetness of ground almonds used in the batter to shine.

To finish off the tea set, we had the Durian Cheese Mousse, which has the highest durian intensity. It was a multifaceted dessert, with notes of cheese, durian, and browned butter. I wished the dessert could be less cheesy, as it seemed to overshadow the durian notes. Nonetheless, it was still addictive, especially for durian and cheese lovers.

It’s not often that you find durian and alcohol married within a dessert, so their signature  Whisky Mao Shan Wang Cake ($14.50) was a must-try. If you’re not big on whisky, fret not; the taste of booze was rather mellow, and in fact a little hard to notice. I was impressed by how the luscious Mao Shan Wang paired well with the whisky-infused sponge; there was a refined balance that ensured neither element was overwhelming.

If you’re a fan of tiramisu, the Mao Shan Wang Durian Tiramisu ($18.50) is a treat that comes highly recommended. The espresso is freshly pulled upon order, infusing the robust flavour of coffee into the ladyfingers. It hides a rum-spiked centre that’s topped with durian-infused whipped cream—a harmonious medley of sweet, savoury, and bitter.

All of us at the table were literally blown away by this dessert. My dining companion could not stop repeating, “It’s so good” and “I love”—I believe that’s enough testament to how good the tiramisu was. 

I fell in love with their Creme Brulee With Mao Shang Wang Durian Ice Cream ($18.50) upon my first bite. The creamy creme brulee is blow-torched upon serving, resulting in a flavourful sweet and smoky sugar shell. Texture-wise, the caramelised layer added some crunch to its surface, pairing beautifully with the milky custard that lay beneath. 

Eating this dessert alone might be overly cloying, so I’d recommend having this to share. 

The latest addition to their drinks menu is the Durian Ice Blended ($10.50), a refreshing drink with a creamy mouthfeel. It comes with roasted white sesame seeds on the side, which you can grind to your preferred fineness. Add it into the drink for a touch of nuttiness, with a much-welcomed crunch for some variance in texture. 

Ambience at Ms Durian

Ms Durian takes over the premises of an old police station. The cafe retains its mid-century brutalist interior, and is renovated with charming, minimalist furnishings for a relaxed vibe. 

They also have an outdoor patio for dining, so you can enjoy your desserts in an al fresco setting. The outdoor area is pet-friendly too—feel free to bring your furry friends along to soak in the relaxing atmosphere.

Ms Durian is a three-minute walk from Jalan Besar MRT Station.

The verdict

Ms Durian easily made it onto my list of best durian cafes in Singapore. Though the prices aren’t exactly wallet-friendly, I felt that all their durian treats were executed well. If you’re a fan of durians, Ms Durian is the place you definitely have to visit.

If you’re still looking to satisfy your durian cravings, read our best durian stalls in Singapore guide. If you’re a fan of dim sum, check out Sum Dim Sum, which is located right down the street.

Address: 11 Kelantan Road, Singapore 208604
Opening hours: Sun-Mon, Wed-Thurs, 9am to 10pm, Fri-Sat 9am to 11pm
Tel: 6962 0057
Website
Ms Durian is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Tan Jia Hui.
This was a media tasting at Ms Durian.