absolutelyBangkok archive · Food & Drink
Originally published Oct. 18, 2008
You always knew that the Japanese have a soft spot for the perfect. Not that the Japanese exaggerate, who doesn’t love modern life’s gadgets designed in Japan. The Japaneses’ yearning search for the perfect world though may go slightly overboard though when you go shopping for a melon at Japanese Murahata Fruits Parlor, Central World, 7th floor.
A Godzilla Egg Water Melon bred and grown in Japan will set you back 15,000 baht. Because, as the cute sales girl will explain, one tree grows only one of those embodiments of perfectness. Or the Musk Melon @ 1.3kg comes for a comparably cheap 4,500 baht. “In Japan,” smiles the girl, “the melon costs already 3,000 baht.”
Affluence gone insane? Call me a Philistine, but I went for the pre-cut melon at a nearby supermarket for a fraction of what I just could have spent. But Philistine it is, as I can’t tell much difference between a 4,500 baht Musk Melon and my egregiously sweet, pre-cut bargain. A Japanese maybe could — and destiny be blessed that I don’t have to shower a Japanese with presents.
There’s a wide array of gilded foods available in top supermarkets, just to mention truffles — but meanwhile in Bangkok you’ll mostly get the Chinese ones sprinkled with truffle oil. Or what about all those exotic endangered foods the Chinese love, such as as tiger balls. But even Beluga caviar looks pale in comparison to Murahata’s melons.
The economy’s going down the drain? If you want to impress your Japanese business partner or friend, Murahata has a gift or two for you. Why not an XL Japan import fruit basket @ 8,560 baht or Japanese strawberries for 133,33 baht the piece.
And you wonder, what do they sell in winter with no fresh Japanese fruits?! Maybe they make a living from the apple juice made from unsold apples. The liter sets you back 480 baht. But hey, think different, it’s prosaicness brought to perfection.
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