03 Nov Buffet Extravaganza: My Chaotic Culinary Creations at COSMO Belfast

I don’t often frequent buffets but when I do they tend to be the breakfast variety. Breakfast buffets are my happy place. Unlimited scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee and mini pastries, what’s not to love?

Dinner buffets however are a different ball game altogether. Yes, I can grab as many croissants and mini boxes of cereal as I like at the humble breakfast buffet but when we’re talking all you can eat dinner items and endless so-wrong-it’s-right cuisine combinations we unlock a new level of power and chaos.

COSMO Belfast 

COSMO Belfast offers a “world buffet” bringing together a swathe of cuisines all under one roof including Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Japanese and Italian. Located upstairs in Victoria Square Shopping Centre, the restaurant is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this month. It’s one of the few buffet experiences in Belfast and certainly the only one that caters for such a variety of cuisines.

Arriving at COSMO, I remembered when the restaurant first opened. It was the first restaurant I’d ever been to where the staff wore headsets which made the dining experience feel like an up-market production. It’s still the same set up ten years later.

It’s easy to go mad with power when you’re filling your own plate with unlimited food. As I perused the aisles, yes aisles, of selection, I couldn’t resist the urge to create some of the most chaotic platefuls of food. Isn’t that part of the fun when you’re at a buffet though? Who says pizza with curry is so wrong? It’s also an opportunity to try things you wouldn’t normally try and there’s certainly plenty to choose from.

How to Buffet

In my opinion, at least four rounds of food is mandatory at a buffet. It’s a decadent experience! Here is my guide for tackling those four rounds:

First round: this is the trial round where you get the lay of the land. Get warmed up with a few initial food items that catch your eye. I loaded up on prawns, spicy potato slices and an aromatic hoisin chicken pancake wrap because… why shouldn’t those food items go together? If you prefer soup for a starter, there’s a couple of soups to choose from too which I noticed too late.

Second round: right, it’s time to take things up a gear or two. Go back for the dishes you spotted on the first round that you know you like. For me that was a plate of salted chilli chicken, rice and noodles – doused in curry sauce of course. Oh, and more spicy potatoes because they were delicious (pictured above.)

Third round: you’re starting to get full but you’re no quitter! It’s time to try a few bits that caught your eye during the previous trips. I loaded up on Jalfrezi this time (which was surprisingly spicy even for my spice craving palette.)

Fourth round: painfully full now but who cares, it’s time for dessert. To my delight there was a selection of deceivingly mini pastries in the dessert section including bakewell tart, lemon drizzle and brownies. I usually take some fruit as well to try and somehow offset the previous gluttony.

Some of the highlights for me include the spicy potato slices in the Chinese section, chilli king prawns, salted chilli chicken and of course the mini pastries.) Disappointingly there were no bao buns left which I would have loved to have tried.

Buffet Etiquette

If you’re wondering what the buffet etiquette is regarding second, third and fourth trips to the buffet table, fear not, I’ve got you covered.

The staff at COSMO will clear your plate when you’ve finished with it and you simply take a new clean plate from the buffet table. The service was prompt so there wasn’t any dirty plates stacked up on your table. I would recommend holding on to your cutlery though as there did seem to be a shortage, at one point only being able to find a knife and no fork. This could have just been because it was pretty busy over Halloween weekend though.

COSMO is a great choice if you are with a group of people with differing tastes. There’s something for the plain eater and the connoisseur alike. If you’re out and don’t have much time it’s also a super speedy option as you’re loading up your own plate and don’t need to worry about waiting on food. Likewise, if you want to take your time and try new dishes over a few courses your dining experience is entirely up to you. And is that not the fun of buffets?

I’d definitely recommend booking in advance, although since it’s a buffet and people aren’t waiting on their food, tables did seem to clear quickly for the next incoming parties.

Thank you to COSMO for the invitation to review the restaurant.