I've had Namwah before, but these are the first that I've grown myself. This was sold as Ele Ele. Overall, a great banana. Everyone who has one and thought it would be a Blue Java/Ice Cream should consider themselves lucky.
TEXTURE-soft and creamy on the outer part, with the inner part more chewy, rubbery, corky, a bit spongy. I had someone tell me it was like biting into a big marshmallow. If there is anything off-putting about them, it’s the texture of the inner part. The difference in texture seems to get more pronounced when more ripe.
FIRMNESS-Very firm and dense. A meaty banana. It feels like eating something much more substantial than a DB or Williams of the same size.
SWEETNESS-Sweet to very sweet.
TARTNESS-Almost none to none, especially when very ripe.
RIPENESS-Tasted slightly too ripe. Some black spots on the peel with bruised fruit. Seem best 2-3 days before this stage when they aren’t quite as sweet. Have been eating them for the past 9 days and like them as soon as all the peel is yellow, with maybe a few greenish marks.
FLAVOR-I get a bit of red delicious apple taste. Certainly tastes more like an apple than the DBs that are called “apple bananas” in Hawaii. I’ve tasted ones that seemed more like cantaloupe. When they’re very ripe I also get a caramel/brown sugar taste.
OTHER-I sold several hands of these and got feedback a week later that customers really liked them and wanted more. Locally, the “Misi Luki” and “Kru” that are being sold by certain sellers are actually Namwahs, and I have a big bunch of the Misi Luki Namwahs coming soon. I’ll add that review if it tastes any different.
OVERALL RATING-7.5-8 One of my top 5 bananas. I really like them, but after a week of eating them, the inner texture kind of bothers me. Better with all yellow peel and no black—not quite as sweet and better overall texture that way. These are so far and away superior to the true “Ice Cream” in every way.
SUGGESTED USE-As a dessert banana. I know they can be cooked but I didn’t actually try any cooked. I had a customer tell me he froze them to make “ice cream” out of and he liked it better than with real Ice Cream bananas.