It is not every day that a food legend comes to Manchester, but that is exactly what happened in time for Chinese New Year, as Ken Hom was in town! He visited Cosmo, the all you can eat buffet restaurant on Deansgate and treated us to some of his favourite dishes.
We kicked things off with a selection of starters, the skewers being a particular highlight with a spicy coating. The ribs were also lovely in a sticky bbq sauce, the meat falling off the bone.
The fried chicken with shrimp paste had a lovely rich flavour and was enjoyed by everyone at the table. It was lightly crisp making it incredibly moreish when dipped in the chilli jam like sauce.
The pork belly looks a little lost on its plate but it really was not to be sniffed at. The skin had been crisped to perfection, to the point it was very crunchy to contrast against the soft belly meat underneath. I’ve never eaten pork belly like this without it being doused in sauce but it really is something I will try at home.
A selection of dumplings followed, with the red bean steamed bun being my favourite. It was light and fluffy, although needed a bit more filling for my liking as the bun on its own was a little dry. These little dumplings are so much more filling than they look as well. I found it hard to believe that we hadn’t hit the main course yet!
The steamed cod was served on a bed of tofu, which was my first tasting of tofu that had not been fried. I am not a fan of the soft texture when tofu is served like this but I was pleased I got to try it nonetheless.
Pan frying cucumber is not something I would ever have thought to do before but apparently it is a Ken Hom classic dish and I am definitely not arguing with it. Salty with a little heat from the chilli, it was actually really tasty and seems super easy to do. Another one I’ll try at home!
We were also served beef in black bean and a bowl full of spicy fried rice that was heavy on the ginger but helped to balance the flavours with the other mains served on the night.
As if all that food was not enough, we ended with traditional Chinese desserts of red bean jelly and coconut milk. The combination of smooth set milk and a grainy red bean paste was not a hit with my unfortunately. It isn’t overly sweet though so, if you like the flavour combination, it would be a good palate cleanser. It just wasn’t for me.
Ken talked to us about his favourite dishes, the places he has visited and how he likes to spend his New Year. He also told us that there is potentially a film about his life in the making and I for one, am well on board. He has revolutionised the world of Chinese cooking in the UK and is a true inspiration. It was a delight to meet him.
Keep an eye on Cosmo and Ken Hom‘s websites for future events. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity and, if you’re lucky, you will find some of Ken’s dishes on the pass at Cosmo.
I was invited to the Ken Hom event at Cosmo as a guest and was not asked to pay
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