[Heaton Moor, Stockport] Damson

Damson is moving its menu away from a carte to a table d’hote arrangement with around half a dozen choices at each course – competitively priced at £30 for two courses and £40 for three. They’d invited a full house of regular punters to come and try out some of the new dishes and offer comments – yes, there was a form to fill in. And, no, it wasn’t a freebie - they charged £30 for five tasting menu sized courses.

As the food is still work in progress, it’s not really appropriate to comment on the dishes in detail but, looking at the sample menu they’d also produced, I reckon we were trying the starters. This was good Modern Brit food, which is what Damson is about. One of the issues we’ve always had with them is the number of dishes which have the extra one or two ingredients on the plate that seem to add nothing to the main affair and, indeed, usually detract from it. That seems to have been stripped away and all the dishes on the draft menu looked “right”. I’d have happily ordered any of the items on all three courses and looked forward to scoffing them.

I think we’ll be going back with more enthusiasm than before – even if the seating remains the most uncomfortable in the metro area. If you do go and they have a pasta with lamb ragu starter, then please order it. It really is a belter.