Review: Turning Point in Long Branch

There's something special about waking up on the weekend and going out to breakfast. Maybe it's because the first meal of the day most often is the simplest to prepare for yourself, so having someone else do it feels like a little luxury. Or maybe it's because the thought of mixing up yet another batch of pancakes or pouring a boring bowl of cereal doesn't exactly get your tastebuds tingling, and you're in need of recipe ideas.

Either way, after a visit to Turning Point, the only reason you'll need is the food. Breakfast, from traditional favorites to inventive plates, is done the way it should be here -- and then some.

The atmosphere:

Talk about comfortable. Dining at this restaurant, tucked at the south end of Pier Village's shops and offering a view of the ocean, was like being treated to a meal on the tastefully decorated wrap-around porch of a beautiful beach house. We were seated -- quickly -- at one of a handful of tables perched atop the raised section of the restaurant, which is separated from the dining room by a few steps and is where I would have wished I had been seated if there hadn't been room for us there.

A Saturday morning, it was busy -- fans whirled from the high ceilings, diners chatted, and servers hustled past balancing plates of delicious-looking food and carafes of hot coffee -- but it wasn't noisy. No busboys dropping coffee cups and dishes loudly into tubs, no bumps from other diners pushing their chairs into yours. It was relaxing and calm, despite the stream of food and servers constantly leaving the kitchen.

Our order was taken when we were ready -- which took a while, since the menu is packed with plenty of inventive and tempting food and drink options -- and we were left to enjoy the view of the Atlantic through the restaurant's walls of windows. But not for long, as our breakfast was brought out quicker then we expected -- quick enough to know that the plates didn't spend any time under a heat lamp in the kitchen.

The food:

The restaurant follows three rules of operation, the first of which is this: Serve creative breakfasts and lunches using the freshest ingredients available. That freshness was what came to mind when I took my first bite of the stuffed French toast ($8.50). The dish is made from whole-grain bread stuffed with sweetened cream cheese, blueberries and mangoes, and is touted on the menu as a "unique culinary creation created by the restaurant's chefs.'' I was very happy that there wasn't too much filling; I had stuffed French toast once that was packed with what could only have been a full block of cream cheese, and it was not enjoyable in the least. Here, they use just enough so the freshness of the fruit shines through and you aren't left with a mouthful of cream cheese.

But the best part of the meal were the sauces served alongside the French toast -- strawberry and blueberry reductions that were spot-on; they couldn't have tasted more like the fruits from which they were made. Both were sweet and just a little tart, and when you scoop them up with a dollop of whipped cream from a small dish on the plate and ladle them over the toast, you won't even give the usual syrup and butter a second thought.

One companion chose classic eggs Benedict ($9.25), made from a toasted English muffin topped with Virginia ham, slices of tomato (a little unusual in this dish, we thought) and poached eggs served beneath just the right amount of hollandaise. Some restaurants really pour on the buttery and slightly lemony sauce, which can distract you from enjoying a perfectly poached egg, but the spoonful or so served atop each egg here was plenty.

Another went for the islander pancakes ($7.50) -- three generous-sized pancakes topped with berries, mango, and toasted coconut and served with strawberry reduction sauce, and another choice was the "shape up'' veggie wrap ($8.50) from the "good and good for you'' section of the menu.

Mixed veggies -- they noticed flecks of spinach and carrot -- are mixed with egg whites and a small amount of cheese and rolled into a wheat tortilla. The wrap is served with sliced tomato and salsa, which the restaurant's Web site touts as homemade.

Other options:

This is the kind of restaurant where you wish you could start over as soon as you're finished. Some other dishes we considered were the fresh fruit bruschetta appetizer ($5.75), a mix of diced mango, pineapple, strawberries and fresh mint served with toasted cinnamon pita points; bananas foster waffles ($8.50), topped with bananas and a sweet dark rum sauce and served with toasted pecans; and the egg-and-potato skillets ($6.75 to $8.25), made either with sauteed spinach and mushrooms, crushed bacon and avocado, or simply cheese.

Also, attached to the restaurant is the TP News & Cafe, serving takeout sandwiches, soups and salads; hot and cold drinks and homemade baked goods, as well as newspapers, magazines and books.

Overall:

The tab for our group of five came to an even $60 -- we ordered five breakfasts, a side of breakfast potatoes, a side of bacon and coffee. It's a little more than you'd pay for the same choices at a diner, but this is no diner. The quality of the food and the atmosphere are well worth the extra.

The only complaint we had was the price of the coffee; three diners ordered it and a carafe was brought to the table, to the tune of $2.30 per cup. It was good coffee, brewed strong, but a cup cost about the same as each of our side dishes, which to us seemed a bit off. But again, the quality of the food and the beautiful restaurant more than made up for this, and it won't keep us from returning -- hopefully when the weather's warm and they open up that wall of windows to let in the ocean breeze.

(If you're wondering about the restaurant's second and third rules, they are to provide great service and maintain a relaxing atmosphere. Check and check).

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