let’s turn it around!
we all have so many struggles in our little lives. but you can always do to turn things around. and maybe if you were go to for brunch, you wouldn’t complain, right?
i finally visited turning point and what a turn it was! the venue is ideally located next to the tram station which makes it very accessible to reach. it stands out straight away by its large windows and if you look attentively, you can even see the big neon lights from the inside inviting you over - literally! - because the letters say ‘meet me here’. once i got inside the venue i could feel the energy and positive vibes straight away and that was promptly confirmed by the staff who welcomed me with a smile and provided great great service from there start.
the whole place is undoubtedly the spot to get your coffee and brunch fix with friends and families, and even that cheeky date!
the decorations are impressive and not only do they have some tree and floral inspired paintings on the walls but there are cute little jars with a small bunch of flowers throughout the whole space. it is the true definition of ‘tropical modernism’, bringing an elegant and clear natural landscape touch to the space!
after my vegan friend arrived and going through their winter menu that had just launched, here’s what we decided to have:
- matcha porridge with beetroot poached pear and coconut soy matcha milk: it’s their new addition to the autumn menu and trust me when i say that it will be a winner and crazy popular 👏 it is so well achieved and the words that caption it are truly: nailed it 👌 seriously. i cannot even start to describe how delicious it is but trying to make it short (😏 although we know it won’t be short 😂) in terms of presentation it is outstanding and i really like the green and red contrast - i think it still represents very well the autumn traits and at the same time stands out from the usual brown and yellowish tones. very satisfying portion size. regarding the oats, they were perfectly cooked and i have to congratulate the chef on that - we all know that sometimes porridge gets too runny and other times too thick and it can become too dense and slightly unpleasant to eat but here it was perfectly achieved. plus, even though i thought it was unnecessary in the beginning and i didn’t really see the point of having milk on the side to pour, i really appreciated it and i do understand why it’s there and the benefit or can bring to the dish! even though i have nothing to add to that perfectly nailed consistency, and it was delightful to eat without any extra milk, the option to have more liquid and to be able to manipulate and add some little twists to the mix is notable and very thoughtful to appeal all palates. taste is outstanding - the matcha flavour is not overwhelming and doesn’t leave any aftertaste - and the coconut soy blend is exceptional! 👏 never thought it would work so well! one final tick of approval goes to the beetroot poached pear that is not only a brilliant idea but also gives an even more glorious look with added natural sweetness to the meal. 100% recommend - 👏 it is without a doubt an 11/10!
- piña colada granola bowl with two popsicles - i have to admit that this is a meal where people would think that adding an extra popsicle is somewhat ‘too extra’ or even ridiculous, right? well... it really isn’t! not at all! those little popsicles are made of pina colada and they are the highlight of this magnificently presented meal! the flavour is not excessively intense and they are not watery either (definitely very different from the taste of the usual sorbet!). they are not excessively sugarish either and in fact i wouldn’t mind at all even having more! the meal is very instaworthy and the coconut bowl is a masterpiece indeed but one thing i have to note here is the size of the meal - the bowl itself is quite small and portions of either of the components of thedishare lacking in quantity. also, it’s important to highlight that the ‘granola’ itself is not your usual granola, which might confuse some people - i personally was very happy with the ingredients (with buckwheat and coconut) which creates that pleasant crunchiness to the meal and again is different from other meals in other venues. the coconut cream is splendid and it’s neither too thick nor too liquid, and consistency is similar to a pudding but lighter - very pleasant indeed and i would say that what lacks in quantity gains in quality here (although more of it would be immensely appreciated by many costumers without a doubt!). i really i just wish that the portion of this meal could be twice as much! 😂👌 this is a gourmet meal in every sense of the word!
- warm pumpkin salad - quite an interesting combo. the meal itself is very aesthetic and again, stands out from usual meals from other venues. i am a huge pumpkin lover and i must say that not only was the pumpkin wedge is of good portion but it was perfectly roasted, not oily or salty, with a more soft inside and slight crispy skin - just the way it should be 👏 the pesto flavour is not very intense and while it blends well with buckwheat and almonds, i think it could be stronger or slightly improved by changing the almonds by cashews to give a more interesting flavour. it is a meal that more savoury people will enjoy and although i had the vegan version of this meal, i think that adding poached eggs to it will make it more wholesome and delicious - i will definitely do that next time and even add some smoked salmon to it!
- coco mango smoothie - i asked the smoothie to be made with coconut water instead of coconut milk, for that extra sweetness, and i also asked for extra banana for thickness and it turned out a very good combo. i was surprised by the colour of the drink - i thought it would be more yellow with a base of mango and banana but i am sure that it is the mint blended in that gives a light greenish colour to it. actually, the mint touch is very smart of the chef again and gives a touch of freshness to the drink! really liked the special touch with shredded coconut on top too.
- green goodness smoothie - my friend had this smoothie and she said it was delicious. i do think that from the ingredients it is truly the definition of goodness, because how can it not be with avocado, kale and spinach? the colour is quite beautiful too and again, it contrasts very well with the coconut sprinkles!
turning point has easily won my heart like their sister café, short straw. the team behind these places truly deserves recognition for creating a venue where you can get your usual morning coffee, at high quality, and to try something new, exciting, and be surprised by each and one of their carefully and artistically signature meals! you never know when you get to that turning point what’s hiding behind each corner and that makes life 100% more exciting 🎉 i cannot wait to visit again and be surprised by more of their creations!