The second wedding of the year, featuring a Chinese Banquet with The Coffee Duo. It’s been such a long time since I’ve been to a wedding with a Chinese banquet and I was excited. Will the food be good?
The celebrations began at 2pm with a wedding ceremony at a church. So many people understood the assignment – show up in warm earth tone reds and oranges! I was surprised there weren’t people wearing the same outfit. The program was in the format of a newspaper – The Wedding Post! On the back of the program was also a list of the couple’s favorite local cafes as well as guest awards (longest distance travelled, first to RSVP) which was super cool! After the ceremony, there was some free time for a coffee and boba break.
The Chinese banquet reception started at 5pm. At the entrance, there was a Polaroid camera to take a photo for the guestbook, but they also had a volunteer taking a digital version for you too! The digital copy is such a great idea.
Chinese banquet tables usually seat about 10 individuals around the round table, with a lazy susan in the middle since everything is served family-style. The meal is typically made up of nine dishes, which symbolizes longevity. Each of the nine dishes also has its own special meaning! There was a bit of a wait for the food to come out, but it was worth it! The meal started with a Roasted Suckling Pig & BBQ Combo Platter. I always love this dish, especially the jellyfish and seaweed that also comes with it. This was so delicious. Plus, my table had two empty seats, so even more food for us!
Next was the Scallop & Fish Seafood Bisque, which I highly recommend adding some red vinegar to. It’s so delicious!
The food started slowing down a bit, so we went to check out the drink menu in the back. It was a very interesting set up – first, you tell the person with the machine what you want. Then, you just stand there and wait, and wait, and….wait. Drinks kept coming out of the kitchen, but you don’t really know if it’s your order or not.
Back to the food – the Honey Walnut Prawn arrived, followed by the Scallop & Steak Cubes in Honey Pepper Sauce! I was already starting to get full, but I couldn’t pass on these two dishes! Little did I know…even better dishes were coming next: Deep Fried Free Range Chicken with Garlic and Abalone & Mushroom with Tender Greens! I was not expecting the chicken to be so good. It was not overcooked at all and was juicy with a crispy skin. I loved it!
The food is not over – the Salt & Pepper Fried Lobsters and Steamed Fresh Catch of the Day finally arrived with the Seafood Combination Fried Rice. Mmm…the fish had so much meat and was cooked just right as well. I just wish it came with some more cilantro and green onions. Make sure to add some of the soy sauce to your fish before eating it!
To wrap up the feast, there was Mango & Coconut Jello which had a good flavor!
What was my favorite dish? Definitely the Roasted Suckling Pig & BBQ Combo Platter, Deep Fried Free Range Chicken with Garlic, and Steamed Fresh Catch of the Day (oh, and the Scallop & Fish Seafood Bisque)! This was such an amazing meal (and wedding). One of my favorite parts was when the parents and sibling of the couple sang a song in Chinese – it was so beautiful!
Congratulations to the newlyweds!