Turn is a cool and welcoming breakfast-lunch cafe that opened several months ago in the Grand Center neighborhood.
Cyndy and I ate at Turn recently—Chef-owner David Kirkland’s new addition to the gastronomique landscape. I had not seen him since he worked at Cafe Osage in the Central West End. When he visited our table, I told him how much I missed his Brie LT sandwich, slathered with tomato jam. He smiled; I suspect he hears that a lot.
Chef David Kirkland chats as he delivers a Biscuit Flight, that includes butter and house-made jam. The biscuits and gravy also get rave views from his many fans.
Jamming on Locust
Those of you who read this blog know that from time to time I have a hankering for a good tomato jam. And, dang it, you just can’t get the stuff here in St. Louis. I occasionally pick it up at farm stands and speciality stores when I’m traveling, but it’s a rare find.
When all else fails, I make my own; this is a desperate measure. So I was glad to hear that David is making tomato jam again, though the Brie LT stayed behind at Cafe Osage, where he worked as chef and manager since it opened in 2008.
The back wall features album covers from Kirkland’s favorite recordings.
A Menu for Locavores
Kirkland’s new adventure is taking place in a corner space on Locust, where he dishes up locally sourced foods whenever possible. His style is American bistro with a twist—or turn—on familiar foods. Thus the name. But it also refers to the turning season, when the menu will be changing—as it soon will for fall.
There are other plays on the word turn. The 78 rpm album covers artfully displayed on one wall denote the turnstile and David’s six-year stint as a dance-music DJ in San Francisco. The charming space and menu show his intention to be turning tables during the breakfast and lunch hours.
David has a flair for creating simple, but zippy menus that have broad appeal. No matter what else is on the new “playlist,” customers will continue to rhapsodize over his signature biscuits, as well as the house-made spreads, labeled appropriately, Slow Jam.
Every table has a view.
Black Pepper Sage Biscuits and Orange Blossom Cranberry are currently part of the Biscuit Flight.
Reuben Patty Melt: a corned beef burger with Thousand Island sauce, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut on rye and a side of cauliflower bites. David re-structured the traditional Reuben by grinding the corned beef to form a burger patty, that is lean and easier to eat then the typical deli sandwich.
Grilled Salmon sandwich with fennel aioli and side of pickled vegetables.
David shows me the wall designed by his wife, an artist, using his favorite album jackets. The Kirklands are active in the St. Louis arts community.
Turn is located on the ground level of .Zach, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation’s theater incubator, that features space for events and commercial use.
Turn by David Kirkland. 3224 Locust in the .ZACH Building in the Grand Center Neighborhood. Open for Breakfast and Lunch: Tue-Sat 8a-3p; Sun 9a-3p; Closed Mondays. Catering service.
