All-you-can-eat and buffets are slowly making a comeback in the UK. At the forefront of the Oxford scene is Cosmo, who has set out to offer ‘authentic world cuisine’. The Cosmo dining experience is split across columns that work through various cuisines – Indian on one end, Chinese on the other, with the likes of Italian and more Western choices like a carvery. You are welcome to go up as many times as you want and so have the choice to approach each area individually or mix-and-match (which does lead to clashing flavours that risk drowning each other out). Cosmo is best with Indian and Chinese, foods with strong, punchy flavours. Everything else risks ending up rather beige; efficiently made food that doesn’t stand out. I’d recommend the duck pancakes as a starter and a plateful of the Indian cuisine. However, it must be said that regions bleed into each other across the impressive range of foods to choose from.

And this is really the strength of Cosmo. It offers choice and would be the perfect venue for those groups who are each seeking different cuisines. There are better places for each individual fare, but being able to have them all in one convenient place really elevates Cosmo into an entertaining and satisfying venture. The service is slick and effective, efficient in removing plates and checking everything is well for diners. It’s also an affordable dining choice, which can’t be overstated as a reason to recommend a visit.

The meal ends with pudding, and the sweet game here is strong, with a host of cakes, ice creams and deserts to tantalise diners into finding room for one more course. Portions are small and there’s a giddy thrill in selecting a range of tasty items to try. Plus this reviewer is always a sucker for a chocolate fountain (its placement at the end of the rows of food marks it as an imposing presence, a goal to head towards, the cherry on the cake). I’d recommend one fewer portion of savoury in order to leave room for something sweet at the end of the night.

Cosmo won’t win awards for its dishes but it is a fun dining experience, one well-suited to meet the tastes of whoever walks through the door. If your group has someone eager for sushi and another desperate for a curry, then Cosmo will be precisely what you want. Add to this friendly staff who efficiently meet diners' needs, and it fits the bill on all counts.

Only in an all-you-can-eat establishment that boasts an "authentic world kitchen" can you have a plate of food where lasagna and pizza can share a space with pilau rice and chicken tikka masala, with a Yorkshire pudding acting as the cherry on the top. This is the basic appeal of Cosmo, recently opened on Magdalen Street, where for a flat fee one can have Italian, Chinese, Indian, carvery and various other cuisines; as well as a truly epic chocolate fountain for dessert.

With branches in Bristol and Coventry, it's safe to say that Cosmo have honed their offering before reaching Oxford. And that is food by excess; quantity is king. Service is light but effective: we are shown to our table, give our food and drink order, are offered an explanation for how Cosmo works and then left alone. The waiting staff are polite and friendly, clearing away plates once finished with, but their involvement is light, which feels perfect for the restaurant.

For my first plate I went for as much variety as possible, while my partner sensibly focused on starting with the duck pancakes before expanding out to the rest of the food on offer. The Indian and Chinese cuisine is great, under the banners of 'House of Spice' and 'World of Asia', better than the Western examples, which are fine, but are less notable. There are always too many options for Cosmo, and so I skipped the carvery and sushi, which can easily be explored on another visit. There are a number of live cooking stations open during the dinner service for fresher food if this takes your fancy - I went for a burger which was tasty, if lacking the heft that a burger connoisseur like myself usually goes for. We each managed three plates of food, with notably less stacked each time before taking on dessert.

I was drawn to the chocolate fountain, and took the opportunity to cover several of the smaller cakes, including a lovely micro lemon cheesecake, with an excessive amount of chocolate. Calories, be damned. My partner, wisely perhaps, kept to the smaller cake items and jelly. Cosmo feels particularly geared towards families, and its variety of puddings certainly reflects this. It is great fun.

The food is acceptable in Cosmo, but the experience is great. There's something ever so enjoyable about being unleashed upon such a range of different food options, and the ability to mix-and-match is key to the appeal of this restaurant. There are better options for all that Cosmo serves but in no other establishment in Oxford can you have them all on one plate; it removes the barrier of having to pick one cuisine for a group and opens up a world of choices.

Cost: £36.98 for a pair of bottomless drinks and dinner plates. It should be noted there is a charge for under 3s dining at the restaurant and the cooking stations do not run at lunch.