Had visited The Hainan Story when they had first opened their doors at The Hillion Mall some time back, but hadn’t managed to drop by their newer outlet, The Hainan Story: Chapter One at Hotel Boss — there has always been a queue whenever I am looking to drop by just for dessert or a meal, so it was quite an opportunity for me try out what they have to offer at this outlet when I was passing by Hotel Boss in the morning.

It’s pretty much known at this point that the Swiss Rolls here are very much a creation but the folks behind The Hainan Story and Chef Pang, who now owns Pang’s Hakka Noodles (now operating two stalls; one at BGAIN Eating House at ARC380, and another at Sprout Hub) and was also formerly the chef-owner of the now-defunct Antoinette previously at Mandarin Gallery, Millennia Walk and Penhas Road. Was particularly drawn to the Premium Old Tree MSW Durian Roll amongst the various other Swiss Rolls that they have to offer — maybe the reference to “old tree” in its namesake being particularly interesting to me given another durian specialty store bearing the same name; though there isn’t any confirmed affiliation between the two at this current juncture. Priced at $6.80 before taxes, the Swiss Roll comes in a rather dainty portion size; could be easily finished by one as a mid-day tea break item alongside Kopi. The Premium Old Tree MSW Durian Roll is undoubtedly soft, light and fluffy; carried an interesting hue of green instead of the yellow that we are more familiar with for durian-flavoured cakes. The Swiss Roll comes with a pungent mousse being slathered in between; aptly sweet, yet distinct with the heavy notes of the king of fruits. Pretty enjoyable, though certainly more on the pricey end.

Having tried several of the items on their menu whilst visiting their outlet at The Hillion Mall previously, I do understand why The Hainan Story is much of a popular option given the food that they serve — pretty accessible fare with a good variety of items that is targeted at the locals with a decent price range in an air-conditioned environment. Whilst some would probably join the queue to try out the Swiss Rolls which are available exclusively at this location, I would probably say that they are decent though I wouldn’t necessarily find myself queueing just for them. That being said, if one is looking for a post-meal dessert whilst dining here, this is pretty much a good option for durian lovers especially to opt for.