Chill at Portofino’s Tony Moore opens Tiger Prawn Tony’s
A Palm Cove business owner has walked away from a protracted fight to fix up flood his damaged Far North premises to start fresh with a new seafood restaurant called Tiger Prawn Tony’s.
Cairns
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A Palm Cove business owner has walked away from a protracted fight to fix up his flood damaged property to start a new seafood restaurant called Tiger Prawn Tony’s.
In December last year, 12 months after the historic post Cyclone Jasper flood event, Chill at Portofino owner Tony Moore gave up on fixing a major ceiling collapse, and severe inundation of water blamed on burst down pipes at the Williams Esplanade venue.
He said after 16 years of running the successful business it was a difficult decision to make.
“At the end of the day it (the decision) was made for us because of the obstacles that were continually put in our path,” he said late last year.
“How proud I am having grown this business from the tail end of the GFC in 2009.”
But true to the old adage of one door closes and another opens, Mr Moore and his wife Manuela did exactly that on Monday when Tiger Prawn Tony’s opened for its first day of trade.
“We wanted to have some fun, we don’t want to take ourselves very seriously but just want to present some really good fresh local seafood,” he said.
“Tiger prawns, mackerel and sashimi and do it all in a relaxed beachfront setting.”
The new venue takes the place of the Underground restaurant within the grounds of the Sarayi Boutique Hotel on Williams Esplanade.
The next step is to co-locate Chill at Portofino within an empty tenancy next door.
“We look forward to bringing Chill at Portafino to join us on the waterfront,” he said.
“Tiger Prawn Tony’s will be able to facilitate that and it will be a big win for the community.”
On the upcoming tourist season, Mr Moore was optimistic that season flights from Christchurch beginning on Wednesday and a Fiji Airways service beginning in April would make for a good visitor numbers into Cairns.
“I would like to think that we are just about to turn the corner and I’m hopeful of a really good season,” he said.
“Finally there’s reason for optimism and the groundswell of community short has been overwhelming.”
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Originally published as Chill at Portofino’s Tony Moore opens Tiger Prawn Tony’s
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