knox and i regularly head over to the 13th for provisions - fish sauce, rice, tofu, etc. - and have a few favorites spots for vietnamese and thai food in the neighborhood. this is a picture story about one such outing...
now, according to wikipedia, durian is the "king of fruits" in southeast asia, known for gigantic size and "unique" odor. (have you ever been in an asian supermarket and thought, "WHAT is that smell?" it's durian). anthony burgess apparently once noted that eating durian was like having vanilla custard... in the latrine. i wouldn't know because i've never been able to get close enough to taste it.
there's a vietnamese legend about it... something about a poor, wondering mandarin wooing the daughter of a local big shot with its remarkable qualities, but i forget the details.
caution: one must be careful when standing under ripe durain fruit. if it falls on your head, it could be fatal.
this is the durian/black bean dessert knox insisted on ordering at a vietnamese joint in the 13th... (he has a thing for ordering the strangest dish on the menu)
and here is his reaction after the first bite.
lb: "don't say i didn't warn you..."
kp: "i think i like it..."
figures.
