DURIAN is banned in hotels throughout Malaysia – and never, ever leave one in the car on a hot day, because the smell is so bad it could be used in chemical warfare.

The smell of the spiky fruit has always put me off, but I was feeling adventurous at Ipoh Garden in Myaree, and despite the warning “for durian lovers only” I recklessly ordered the ice cream ($6).

Made with real fruit and cream with no added flavours it was a delicious surprise, creamy and flavoursome with an after taste hard to describe, but very satisfying.

D’Angerous Dave had gone for the restaurant’s prize-winning sticky date pudding ($6) with a rich caramel sauce.

He mixed it with the ice cream to create heaven on a spoon – a fusion of traditional English pud and Asian fruit.

Ipoh Garden is tucked away on Hulme Court, behind all the car yards on Leach Highway, which is a veritable Melville mini Asia town, with Chinese, Japanese and Malay eateries and a huge Asian supermarket.

Like it’s neighbours the Ipoh’s decor is low key, and the service excellent.

We started off with a double serve of vegetarian spring rolls ($4.80), golden-brown parcels of crispy, piping hot tastiness.

My brother John and lovely sister-in-law Sally shared a chicken curry ($10.90) and a Penang-style kway teow ($10.90).

The chicken was tender and the curry sauce terrific they opined, and the noodles, with prawn and pork, were wonderfully spicy.

D’Angerous can’t pass up a good laksa ($10.90)  and this one showed its Malay origins, being creamy but with a subtle difference to others he’d eaten: “I’d give it a 9 out of 10,” he said.

A plate of special fried rice ($10.90) and a serve of choy sum with garlic ($12.90) rounded out a very enjoyable meal.

by JENNY D’ANGER

Ipoh Garden Restaurant
44 Hulme Court, Myaree
9330 6298
open 6 days 11am–9.30pm,
closed Wednesday