Wedding lunch at Black Pixion

Sometimes it takes an invitation to a wedding lunch for me to discover a new event destination in Johor Baru.

Newly-weds, Alex and Songye with his mum's guests

With new talents arriving or returning to JB, the city is clearly developing rapidly and it may take some time for me to get around to visiting the new places here.

While I often I discover exciting destinations through word-of-mouth, media invitations or from social media posts, this time, it was through a wedding invitation.

                        

When May Yoong, a former classmate, presented me with the invitation to her son’s wedding, I congratulated her and her son, Alex, and his lovely bride, Songye, and was delighted to accept.

What followed was a WhatsApp message with a form that listed main course choices in a menu and I was asked to pick one and reply. I duly replied with a comment that this was indeed too cool and high-tech!

May Yoong, the proud mum, with
Alex and Songye

May Yoong was probably smiling in agreement when she replied: “Ya…these kids…!!”

She told me that all the arrangements were done by the young couple while she did most of the coordination for them here.

As the date drew closer, I scrutinized the invitation to find out the venue for the wedding lunch and read the small print: Black Pixion located at Lorong 2C, Jalan Abdul Samad.

The road was certainly familiar but the venue was not. I didn’t know that a new restaurant had opened here and this gave me yet another reason to attend – to check out this place!

My drive to Jalan Abdul Samad was smooth on a Sunday and when I found Lorong 2C, a row of cars were parked on one side of the road.

I saw guests heading into the building to the left of the compound and through the glass paneled building walls, I spied an event that looked like a wedding party. This must be it.

The main entrance was a floor-to-ceiling glass panel that opened with a swivel and a smartly-dressed staff welcomed arrivals (like me!) to enter with ease.

A table setting on the banquet table
with my name on it!

Taking advantage of the natural light pouring in through the glass panels, a charming photo booth was set up in the lobby. I soon discovered that Black Pixion was not a restaurant but a photography studio and event destination.

Our gracious host, May Yoong, filled me in on how the young couple decided against a traditional Chinese banquet dinner but opted for an elegant luncheon with a selected group of guests, catered by Amici Events & Catering and held at Black Pixion.

She also introduced me to the team at Black Pixion, including Creative Director and Photographer, Adrian Jiun. 

Adrian told me that Black Pixion was often the preferred venue for his clients who wished to host an event tailored to their tastes. He would advise clients on the choice of caterers and let them select their menu with all the trimmings that matched with the occasion.

Meanwhile just-arrived guests were invited to help ourselves to the cakes and pastries laid out at the opposite end of the lobby.

“Wow! Dessert first sounded good…” I thought to myself. The bite-size cake, tarts and eclairs looked simply irresistible and I thought I recognized them from somewhere…

Two long banquet tables on the ground floor at Black Pixion

More guests were arriving and the little lobby was getting crowded. Soon we were invited to take our seats at the banquet tables where our places were marked with our names.

The table setting was classy, complete with fresh flowers in vases and stalks stylishly laid across the table while tea lights floated in balloon glass receptacles filled with water.

I had chosen the Non-Vegetarian option and enjoyed a leisurely lunch as the serving staff politely and unobtrusively, served course after course, with frequent topping up of wine glasses with bubbly Prosecco.

My meal started with Pumpkin soup dotted with roasted pumpkin seeds. This was followed by a refreshing appetizer of Duo Timbale of Atlantic Crab and Crawfish meat with Caviar.

Two more banquet tables on the first floor at Black Pixion

While we enjoyed our meal, the versatile Master of Ceremony kept guests entertained with his humorous and tasteful banter. The programme continued with the ubiquitous wedding toast, the traditional Chinese way where some over enthusiastic guests joined in with raucous yells of “Yam Seng!”

Soon after the cake-cutting ceremony, the newly-weds made their speeches. Then the Master of Ceremony played a game with them to see how well they know each other. This put them in a bit of a quandary but it was all in good fun and everyone had a good laugh along with them.

This little interlude gave time for the caterer to prepare the main course servings and when my main course of Oven-baked Herb Crusted Black Cod was served, it was still warm.

By this time, the wedding cake – made of real cake and not a cardboard replica (!!) – was cut and served. Someone handed me a thick slice but I did not complain because it tasted simply delicious!

"Yam Seng!" toast to the young couple

Then there was a long but welcome pause before the meal ended with a slice of Italian Tiramisu with Expresso.

After keeping herself seated at the next table for her role as mother/mother-in-law, like a good host May Yoong then came over to see how her guests (us, former classmates!) were doing.

When I complimented her on the food and pastries, she mentioned that the cake and pastries were by Passionfood.

This struck a familiar chord because from my own experience, Passionfood rose to the challenge when I asked for help to create a unique birthday gift for a man who had everything!

Before the event wound to a close, the newly-weds invited all their guests to join them for a final toast. So we raised our glasses for a chorus of “Yam Seng” to wish the couple well for the next chapter of their lives together.

Black Pixion is at No. 31-B, Lorong 2C, Jalan Abdul Samad, 80100 Johor Baru. For enquiries: Tel: +607 – 207 0090 or email: info@blackpixion.com