A Manchester food hall is serving up the world’s ‘most divisive’ ice cream

A recently opened street food dining hall in the city centre has just added a highly divisive dessert to its menu. Hello Oriental, Manchester’s underground three-storey food hall and market, has introduced durian fruit ice cream to its roster, a fruit that is perhaps best known for its memorable smell.

The fruit, which is grown in Indonesia, Malaysia and southern Thailand, is so pungent that it’s been banned from subways in Singapore. It’s been described as evoking everything from “dead cats” to “pig s***, turpentine and onions”.

While the smell alone would put most people off, it does in fact have many fans, which is why Hello Oriental has decided to stock the “divisive” dessert. It is said that once you get past the smell, you’ll find it to be one of the most addictive flavours to cross your tastebuds.

READ MORE:Inside Manchester’s new canal-side dim sum restaurant with bao, dumplings and cocktails

Located just off Oxford Road, around the corner from Hatch, Hello Oriental is the new one-stop shop for Chinese and Vietnamese food. Situated on the newly minted ‘Symphony Park’ development on Circle Square, the concept was created by popular local Chinese restaurant Ocean treasure.

The venue has been inspired by operations including hipster hangout 1800 Lucky in Miami, as well as the Bang Bang Oriental food hall in North London. Spread over three floors it boasts a modern food hall, a supermarket stocking specialty produce, a Vietnamese restaurant, and a Asian-inspired bakery.

Recently described as a ‘northern powerhouse’ by The Times food critic Marina O’Loughlin during her visit to Manchester, it serves up everything from Chinese roasts, delicious dim sum, hot pho, baos and healthy summer rolls. Signature street food