There is no middle ground when it comes to durian, the King of tropical fruits. You either love it or hate it.

Of course, there are some who are not particularly fond of the fruit, but don't run screaming at the sight (or smell) of it.

As for me, I belong to the last group. Most of my family members love durians, so I became "immune" to the strong smell at a tender age, despite not developing an immense liking for it.

So when a box of durian pastries arrived at my office, it was interesting to judge the reactions of my colleagues.

Some stayed far, far away from my desk where the pastries were. Others made an excited beeline for my table. Thanks to the latter group, my task of reviewing Goodwood Park Hotel's latest offerings in its annual Durian Promotion was halved.

AsiaOne puts Goodwood Park Hotel's durian treats to the test

Described as a choux pastry filled with durian mousse, the Durian Puff is a classic of the hotel's annual durian promotion. Best enjoyed when served freezing cold, the generous durian filling was smooth, creamy yet soft and light.

I suppose that's where the term "mousse" came from - this is about as light and fluffy as durian can be. The strong durian taste and aroma, courtesy of the D24 durians used in all of the hotel's durian pastries, meant this puff was no pushover. Little wonder it has made a comeback year after year.

An interesting addition this year is the Durian Crumble (right) - durian mousse covered with butter crumble. The strong durian taste was well complemented by the slight crunchiness of the crumble, and the contrast in texture made this an interesting dessert. One colleague noted that the durian flavour is substantial but not overwhelming.

If you like hazelnuts, try the Durian and Crunchy Hazelnut Tartlets. The nuts are a good contrast to the texture of the durian mousse, though one colleague did not quite fancy the tart base. Aforementioned colleague also wished that the durian taste was stronger. Verdict: Ideal for those who do not like their durian pastries to be too pungent.

(These bite-sized pastries are priced at $1.80 per piece, $10.50 for 6 pieces, and $34 for 20 pieces)

A new item on this year's menu is the Durian Wafer Loaf ($6.50 per piece, $38 for 6 pieces). It looks like the traditional ice cream which is sold by roadside vendors, where a block of ice cream is sandwiched between two wafers. One colleague loved the chunks of D24 durian in the filling, which was rich and creamy, yet surprisingly smooth and mild. While the durian taste and aroma is unmistakable, it is not too "jelat". Good for durian fanatics.

One colleague contributed the following comment on another new addition, the Durian Dadar (left, $4.50 per piece): "Regular kueh dardar comes in bite-sized portions, with a patchy, thin green skin that wraps around the brown coconut shreds. This durian dadar, on the other hand, is about the size of a regular popiah, and comes with a thicker, smooth skin, which is almost tasteless in contrast to its thick, pure- durian filling. Warning: Do not consume before a job interview!"

My favourite of the lot must be the Durian, Pandan & Coconut Cake (right, $6.50 per slice, $43 for 1.3kg). This fragrant cake is also Goodwood Park Hotel's Mother's Day cake. I brought a slice home to my mother, who liked the interesting combination of durian, pandan and coconut shavings. The deeper, pungent aroma of the durian blends well with the distinctive sweet fragrance of the pandan and coconut. The texture of the cake itself is smooth, and goes down easily. The substantial durian taste was also tempered by the other ingredients. If your mom loves durians, you might consider getting this for her on Mother's Day!

Goodwood Park Hotel's Durian Fiesta is on until August 5 at the Deli, from 9am-9pm daily. A full listing and order form is available from the hotel's website at www.goodwoodparkhotel.com. Orders can also be placed by calling the Deli at 6730 1786.