Gaining a reputation for selling high quality affordable durians is not easy. It takes sellers decades to acquire such a loyal following - Especially with so much competition now in the durian business. Uncle Leong has been selling durian for over 20 year now, originally at Jackson Centre. A lot of his most dedicated customers still know him from the Jackson Centre days. Now being located in Tanjong Katong, he faces stiff competition from the well-known Katong Durians, run by Ah Loon.
Leong Tee Fruit TraderLocation: 264 Tanjong Katong RoadContact: 63466683, 98928899Uncle Leong is a very kind and humble man. He can speak only in Mandarin or Hokkien, so for those English speakers, you may find it quite an uphill task communicating with this Uncle. During our talk, he spoke to me with a great deal of pride about recently being feature by
ieatishootipost (Dr Leslie). I must agree, it is wonderful after all his years of hard work, that now he is finally getting exposure.
I visited Leong Tee at quite an unfortunate time. His cultivator was experiencing a low crop, and therefore he didn't have many durians available. Uncle Leong is at his best during the peak durian season June-August. The
Golden Phoenix he had on offer that day tasted good, but the flesh was a little too watery for my liking. The fantastic slightly fruity golden phoenix flavour was definitely there, and this durian was packed with flesh - So definitely good value. Overall though, I've had much better golden phoenix.
Price: $10.00/kg. 6/10Uncle Leong is specifically known for his great quality
Mao Shan Wang. During the peak season, customers will flock to his stall specifically for this durian. It is without question his best seller. His mao shan wang has gained such a reputation due to them falling from one particular old tree. The older the tree, the better the quality of durian. During the winter season his supply becomes lesser. On this particular day he recommended I try the mini-sized mao shan wang. This durian wasn't a particularly good one. The flesh was still a little too firm, and it had an unwelcome sour taste. I've yet to eat a good mini mao shan wang in Singapore.
Price: $15.00/kg. 5/10Conclusion - There is no doubting the honesty and kindness of Uncle Leong. His Leong Tee durian stall is definitely one I would recommend visiting during the peak season. During the winter season it may be best to avoid though.
