Beach Almond
There is an old phrase which says not to judge a book by its cover. If ever there was a more apt illustration of this sage advice, it is a little corner in one of Cairns’ more exclusive northern beaches at which you will find an eclectic, uncurated, ramshackle restaurant - Beach Almond. Each evening, this unremarkable looking venue comes alive with fairy lights and cool dusk tunes, and creates some of the most striking and flavoursome Asian style seafood dishes in Far North Queensland. All under the obsessive and talented stewardship of head chef and owner Brian Holding.
Served on an open deck, each menu item is an adventure, an encapsulation of a time, place or taste taken from Brian’s extensive travel and inquisitive culinary nature. For thirty years he has interspersed his Australian life with living and travelling across Southeast Asia and the islands south of that continental mass. All the while basking in the cultures and cuisines across that diverse and varied area of the globe. From fishing village banquets to palatial garden weddings, Brian has immersed himself in all aspects of Asian cuisine from matching exotic flavours and ingredients to the simplest and most elaborate of cooking techniques. This wealth of knowledge settled a decade ago in the quiet northern end of Williams Esplanade in the laidback tropical haven of Palm Cove.
Palm Cove offers the tourist and local alike a glimpse into what we conjure up in our heads when we think of a tropical paradise. Its eccentric shoreline boasts a huge array of accommodations and culinary outlets, ranging from millionaires to backpackers.
Like many of the truly driven, very little of what Brian does is unintentional. The choice of Palm Cove not only provided the perfect backdrop for the restaurant's rustic ambience but also a conduit to domestic and international travellers who see Beach Almond for what it is - a sophisticated facsimile of the very best of Asian cuisine, set in the heart of one of Australia’s favourite beachside resort towns.
“The location and customer base are of course appealing here, the majority of the Palm Cove community are transient, looking for a unique experience and that is indeed what we offer,” says Brian.
“However, what sets us apart from most everywhere, not just in Far North Queensland but in fact the world, is our ingredients.
“All our fresh ingredients are local. Our mud crabs were caught perhaps a day ago, the wild prawns come from the Gulf and the Coral Sea. On any given night you can look up from your dinner across the beach and the lights of the prawn trawlers glinting on the horizon.
“Our fish are caught sustainably and locally, from the freshest of reef fish to estuary line caught barra, they’re all here.
“Beach Almond is at the front of the queue for the supply chain, even the very best restaurants in the world can't serve as fresh as we do.
“We do make very, very good food, but that is amplified by the quality and freshness of the ingredients. We have some of the most amazing produce here, from seafood to salad.”
Brian can often be seen at Cairns’ iconic Rusty’s Markets browsing the abundance of local produce. He is well accustomed to demanding the best of local seafood and choice cuts from local butchers.
“All of this region is my pantry. Metro chefs can only dream of being this close to the origin of their ingredients,” says Brian.
Even a casual stroll through the many reviews for Beach Almond will see the common thread emerging, extolling excellence of cuisine, with that perfect tropical blend of casual ambience and fine dining.
Covid and its aftermath have not been kind to the Cove. When restrictions lifted, customers came in abundance, hand in hand with chronic staff shortages. Rising labour costs and shortages in logistics have had a steady effect, increasing the price of everything. But Brian remains stoic when considering the future. Known for his culinary perfectionism, he chooses to focus on being better rather than what could be worse.
“We create the best we can, from the best we can get, and are blessed that so many appreciate what it is that we do.”
