Loads of people head to Cosmo in Derby for their celebrations, but on this occasion it was Cosmo themselves that were throwing a party! 2023 sees this popular venue turn 10 years old and they, rightly, wanted to mark the occasion with friends and supporters. The Man Bird, BB and I were kindly asked to share the joy and so, with the jalopy parked nearby at the Derbion Centre, made our way over to Cosmo where Mickey Mouse was waiting to open the door for us.
Kevin was looking rather dapper in his suit, shirt and tie, and after checking us off the guest list, took us up to the back room where large groups are hosted. Plenty of folks had already arrived and were seated, and after consulting the table plan we were also parking our derrieres and introducing ourselves to others on our table. Each seat had a goodie bag containing a dinky, daisy -shaped highlighter set, phone holder and pen, all with the Cosmo logo on, and there were bottles of wine and water on the tables, along with Prawn Crackers, Edamame Beans and dips to stave off any initial hunger pangs.
When everyone was settled and the initial welcome speeches done, the team of servers brought out individual Prawn Cocktails in cute heart-shaped dishes; we were certainly feeling the love! Sweet Chilli- and Satay- Sauces were already on the table just waiting for us all to begin dipping the Kakiage (deep fried pieces of shellfish and/or vegetables), Prawn Balls, and Satay Chicken into them. BB tucked into the surprisingly spicy Fish pieces that came with a crisp, clean Mint Sauce, and I busied myself with the Sushi Platter that had Prawn Nigiri, Tamago Nigiri (dinky bits of egg omelette), Bean Curd Nigiri, and Unagi (Eel) Nigiri.
Whilst we all happily munched on the culinary delights before us, Kevin and Sid were expertly working the floor selling raffle tickets for Cosmo’s chosen charities: Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Home (a place in Skegness for under-privileged children to have a holiday) and Head High, a local Mental Health charity. Everyone bought ream upon ream of tickets to support these two very worthy causes. Later on in the evening, there was also a charity auction where bidding was for a variety of experiences , including a gourmet meal for two at Stones Restaurant in Matlock and unlimited meals at Cosmo itself for either 2 or 4 people for a whole year (sadly, we were outbid!).
No-one needing asking twice when the Cosmo Derby team invited them out onto the restaurant floor, and our first port-of-call was the Teppanyaki station where Chef was cooking up a storm. I had Steak and King prawns, BB had Salmon, Squid, Scallops and Steak (over 2 visits, as you can only choose two items at a time), and His Nibs had Steak and Scallops; it never fails to fascinate me, the theatre of the Teppanyaki station – I love it. Needless to say, that wasn’t the only food we loaded our plates up with! When there’s such a veritable smorgasbord of dishes from around the world to choose from, you’re not going to show any restraint, are you?! And let’s face it, this is why Cosmo is so popular: there is literally something for everyone, of all ages.
Noodles, my beloved Custard Buns, Seaweed, various Chinese- and Indian- Curries, Ribs, and stir-fried Vegetables all got munched at, and they were all as delicious as ever. So good was the food that we had to go back for second helpings, and it was during this period that the Lion Dancers were making their way through the restaurant. Unfortunately, Derby’s Deputy Mayor had just begun his speech when the drummers were properly getting into their groove but, in the spirit of fun that epitomises Cosmo Derby, we all just laughed and the Deputy Mayor joked about it, too. If the energy and enthusiasm of the Lion dancers and drummers was anything to go by, Cosmo should have an abundance of luck and good fortune coming its way for the next year!
After the speeches and raffle (we won a rather nifty bottle of Shiraz), Bestie went off in search of dessert, coming back with a fruit kebab that she’d smothered in molten White Chocolate from the Chocolate Fountain! For some reason, dessert had slipped under mine and His Nibs’ radar, but when we spied the goodies on BB’s plate it galvanised us into action. Because we were late to the party, so to speak, a lot of the counters had been covered over but I managed to bag myself a heap of Strawbs, Fried Eggs and fizzy Cola Bottle sweets...nom nom nom.
All too soon, the evening of celebration came to a close and fab musician, Liam Hulmes, was strumming the last tune on his guitar. Throughout the event, this 22 year-old had entertained us with a variety of music and, if you’ve not heard him before, I suggest you go and check him out on the usual social media platforms because he’s got a cracking voice!
We went and bade farewell to the Cosmo bosses and management team, and to Sarah from Penguin PR, who had extended the invitation to us originally. Don’t forget to keep supporting your local Cosmo, folks; the Nottingham one has closed and we certainly don’t want to lose this family-friendly, celebration-welcoming venue from the county...and where else can you go and indulge in such a wide range of cuisines for a purse-friendly price?
Hot Wings given to this great venue again; we’ve had some amazing times here over the years, and hopefully there will be many more memories to make in the years to come.
For opening times, visit the website www.cosmo-restaurants.co.uk or ring the team on 01332 295300 to reserve a table.
