Cosmo Reading: restaurant review

Reading Cosmo: not your typical Chinese restaurant. Not even close

From chocolate cake to cheesecake, the desserts selection at Reading Cosmo will keep you sweet!

If you ever head down Friar Street on a Saturday night (or practically any night, for that matter), and see a massive queue snaking outside the doors to Cosmo, you might first assume that dozens of clubbers have started their evening on the early side.

Truth is, they’re just waiting to get into Cosmo Restaurant, Reading’s finest destination for a buffet that features a vast selection of the world’s tastiest dishes.  Many of the selections come from Asian origins, but there is also a delectable Mexican taco bar, Italian pizzas, Indian savouries, the greenest salads and… my goodness… The Most Mouth-Watering, Meaning-of-LIfe-Answering, Satisfaction-Finding Dessert Bar One Could Ever Long For…

Or as Cosmo succinctly describe it: Pan Asian and World Banquet Dining.

Cosmo Restaurant: what’s on the menu?

What’s your favourite food at Cosmo? I’m a sucker for the Indian curry selection at Cosmo Reading.

The live cooking includes:

• Live cooking
• Sushi
• Dim sum
• Indian tandoori & curry
• Yakitori & robata grill
• Teppanyaki
• Asian carvery
• Pizzeria
• Global kitchen
• Noodle & Wok bar
• Asian deli
• Seafood

Cosmo also has a banquet selection of starters, mains and desserts. Starters include soups, Beijing ribs and Malaysian squid. Mains range from crispy aromatic duck to Thai mussels and vegetable Singapore noodles. The dessert bar is simply amazing, but my favourite aspect is the chocolate fountain that flows endlessly at the front of the restaurant.

Check out a more expansive version of Cosmo’s sample menu here.

And did you know? If you order a soft drink, you can fill it up as much as you like, thanks to the bottomless soft drinks promotion at Reading Cosmo! There is also a nice selection of beers and wines.

The best thing about Cosmo is the attention to detail they have for the entire guest experience. You will find some of the most flavourful creations of any restaurant in Reading. My best advice is to initially sample in small portions, to take in a vast array of combinations. After all, you can always go back for more of what your palate prizes best.

Experiencing Cosmo: one man’s methods

I asked my husband Iain for some advice on how to make the most of such a wide-selection. Invariably his ritual, when it comes to making the most of such an excellent opportunity in the presence of the grand Cosmo buffet, is to:

Go for the Mexican bar, like Iain! He opted for a vegetable taco (or two…). Personally, I piled high the cheese, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños, atop a crunchy heap of nachos.

1.) Spend the day fasting.

2.) Become very cranky in the hours and minutes leading up to the big event… after all, his blood-sugar levels are dropping fast and he’s starting to become a bit primordial.

3.) Knock people out of his way as he gets closer and closer through Reading centre and along Friar Street, spotting the great Cosmo sign just footsteps away.

4.) Go nuts with choice.

5.) Go for a second, third, fourth plate… following the sage advice of Reading Cosmo owner Jason Yu and his staff, that everyone should leave feeling very full.

6.) Realise he has run out of room before he even hits the dessert options.

7.) Sigh with regret, and contemplate how he will make it home.

If you’re ready to book a night out at Cosmo, better make a reservation!

The queue outside Reading Cosmo can include up to 200 people over the course of an evening!

The upside for Iain is that he’s probably not alone in his dramatic quest for fabulous dining at Cosmo. Jason Yu, who manages the Cosmo team, told me that for yesterday evening alone, they had 500 advance bookings, and would also serve 100-200 people in the queue outside. The restaurant can accommodate nearly 300 people at capacity, and can also seat groups of up to 40 together at one table (although larger groups are also invited to book). They are even looking to expand the restaurant in future, to accommodate more guests!

The traits that make Cosmo so special go far and beyond the finely prepared food: it’s also about the attentive service and chic interior design.

There are 27 front-of-house staff who diligently tend to customers by offering a welcome introduction and additional drinks throughout the night, as well as clearing plates seconds after they’re emptied.

Despite up to 600 people being served throughout the night, the overall mood is particularly refined. Spot lighting sits between the wavy lines of a dark wood ceiling; almond-coloured walls feature textured patterns; the music is mellow and entrancing as though it were emanating from a stylish hotel bar. It truly is the sort of place you could take your family, or your parents, or even a date who appreciates delicious cuisine without limits.

Hanging out in Reading? Here’s how to find Cosmo

Address: 35-38 Friar Street, Reading RG1 1DX

Phone: 01189 595 588

Email: reading@cosmo-restaurants.co.uk

You can also feel like a VIP, just by queue-jumping after you reserve a table online with Cosmo. ; )

 

Cosmo Reading opening times and prices

LUNCH

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 12:00 – 15:00
£7.99 – Adult
£4.00 – Child under 150cm
£2.00 – Minimum Charge

SATURDAY 12:00 – 15:30
£8.99 – Adult
£4.50 – Child under 150cm
£2.00 – Minimum Charge

DINNER

MONDAY TO THURSDAY 17:30 – 22:30
£13.99 – Adult
£7.00 – Child under 150cm
£3.00 – Minimum Charge

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 17:30 – 23:00
£14.99 – Adult
£7.50 – Child under 150cm
£3.00 – Minimum Charge

SUNDAY & BANK HOLIDAYS (open all day) 12:00 – 22:30
£13.99 – Adult
£7.00 – Child under 150cm
£3.00 – Minimum Charge