For those who fancy a treat after lunch - don't we all? - Damson in MediaCityUK is now offering a rather special afternoon tea menu. Located next to the Quays near the Lowry shopping mall, BBC, Booths fabulous supermarket and the Imperial War Museum, it's a prime spot that's been growing in popularity since the restaurant opened in February this year.
The small chain of restaurants that Damson is part of include a branch of the same name in Heaton Moor, The Red Lion in High Lane, and a new, just-announced pub called The Dock Yard set to open in October. So things are clearly going well from a business point of view.
And one reason for Damson's growth in this time of austerity could be attention to staffing. Katy Torevell is a great example. She's the group's pastry chef; a girl with a palatable love of pudding. In fact one of her proudest achievements to date was the foundation of the Pudding Club at The Red Lion. All of which proves that the chef behind Damson's new afternoon tea selection knows her sweets.
Looking across the water towards the iconic, shimmering Lowry Arts Centre, I was tempted to plough through Katy's banoffee pies on the top tier of my tea stand before the more savoury stuff. But I held myself back - waiting for a treat makes it all the better, doesn't it? - tucking into roast beef and cheddar cheese with onion and celery finger sandwiches from the bottom deck first. Scones from the middle tier were next. And as I dusted a flurry of crumbs from my bosom, I mulled over the fact that getting to see everything you are going to eat laid out on polished silverware really puts the appetite in gear.
The fruit scones were perfect, actually. Hard in the right places and speckled with caramelised sugar (as the Ballymaloe cookery school recommends), the jam and clotted cream slowly slid across the surface of the halved cake into my waiting mouth.
Perfect for a ladies get together, birthday gathering, business meeting with a twist or just a treat, the floor to ceiling windows and posh surrounds make this the ideal spot for tea. And the cake selection, which includes carrot cake with a rich, rum infused icing and lemon posset with crushed raspberries, is rather impressive too.
The menu is made up of a mixture of savoury sandwiches and handmade artisan pastries, and is available for just £14.95 pp as standard, or £18.95 pp with Prosecco. Damsons Afternoon Tea must be booked in advance via 0161 751 7020.
Damson, Orange Building, Above Prezzo in the Central Piazza, M50 2HF. Tel: 0161 751 7020 http://mediacity.damsonrestaurant.co.uk/contact.html