Beyond Melon Balls

I’ve decorated lots of tables, but only one wowed my guests so much that they paid more attention to the centerpiece than to the food I had so painstakingly prepared. Half a watermelon was carved Thai-style into an exquisite rosy flower--but I didn’t do it. It takes years to master the intricate art of Thai fruit carving but only moments to order a watermelon just like mine--or a whole watermelon carved with “Happy Birthday” or anything else you want to say. Call Chao Krung restaurant, 111 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 932-9482.