Turning Point

The Overview…

Food: Warm Pumpkin Salad, Eggs Benny and French Toast

Ratings:
Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Value: 4/5

The details…

Filling the spot left by Hawk and Hunter’s departure is Ripponlea’s Turning Point Cafe. Being visible from the train station is a great location, and this large unit really does stand out, with its floor to ceiling windows and neon lit signs. However, it’s a tone down from its predecessor and feels cosier, with the space feeling better divided into small areas, while remaining light and bright.

As with many places in Ripponlea, the menu is a bit fancy with a truffle scramble, 18 hour pork belly and Onigrazu just some of their dishes. There’s still some standard brunch faves on there too! They also have a full liquor license and they are offering a dinner menu Thurs-Sunday. It’s a nice space, and did feel like somewhere we would be happy to return for dinner, while still casual enough to eat at during the day.

Staff were really friendly and made an effort to have a chat and just put that little bit of extra effort in to make you feel welcome. Service was memorable and for us would definitely be a draw card to return. I was already pretty full, so I opted for the warm pumpkin salad, whereas M.B. went for the Eggs Benny, and the French Toast.

I liked that my salad was served warm and I liked the nutty flavour. I added the halloumi on the side, and I did feel it needed this for a bit of extra flavour, or it could have become a little boring after a while, as there was little to contrast with the pumpkin. I did find this filling for a salad, and it was a good healthy winter option.

The eggs benny were well cooked and what we really liked is they put their own little spin on this dish by serving it with a beef brisket potato hash – mixing the meat and potato into one hash. It made the dish a lot less meaty as you were just getting touches of the brisket mixed in with the potatoes. There was a generous serve of hollandaise too.

Finally we shared (kind of) the french toast. The presentation here was great and we felt like they’d made an effort to try and make all of the elements relevant to the flavour rather than just as decoration. The toast itself had the perfect crispy exterior and soft interior, with a light soft cinnamon flavour. There was a nice variety of seasonal fruits, and they’ve moved away a little from just the usual berries. Honey joys brought a little crispy element to it, and the lemon curd broke through the sweetness. It was a bright, enjoyable dish and summed up what this venue is all about!

Everything else…

Website: https://www.turningpointripponlea.com/

Address: 8-10 Glen Eira Avenue, Ripponlea

Opening Times: 

Mon         7am to 4pm
Tue          7am to 4pm
Wed        7am to 4pm
Thu         7am to 9pm
Fri           7am to 9pm
Sat          8am to 9pm
Sun         8am to 9pm

Parking: There is 2 hour parking just opposite the cafe on Glen Eira Avenue, and we always managed to find a spot here. There are also some spaces on the opposite side of the train lines.

Getting here on PT: It’s less than a minutes walk from Ripponlea Train Station on the Sandringham line. Alternatively, it’s about 5 minutes walk from the 67 tram stop – alight at Glen Eira Road.

Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Turning Point, Ripponlea. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.