The Fin Boys, aka Richard Stokes and Jay Scrimshaw, tell us about their mission to change the way we view fish – and reveal some of their favourite recipes (images: Daisy Dickinson)
When it comes to Cambridge food legends, Richard Stokes and Jay Scrimshaw are up there with the best. As well as cooking in top kitchens internationally, between them they’ve headed up some of the city’s finest restaurants and street food trucks. Stokes cut his teeth at Chez Panisse and The Slanted Door, going on to become chef patron at The Three Horseshoes in Madingley and, eventually, head chef at Parker’s Tavern, while Scrimshaw’s CV rattles off The Pheasant at Keyston (where he was a finalist on Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word), Bibendum, Chez Bruce, and Guerrilla Kitchen here in Cambridge.
The powerhouse pair have now joined forces to create Fin Boys – a sleek new seafood restaurant on Mill Road. “Fresh fish, simply prepared, is how we’d sum up it up,” says Jay. “As well as sitting down to eat here, people can buy fresh fish at the counter to cook at home. Cambridge has needed a fish restaurant and fishmonger for years – there’s a big demand for it.”
Good food, good wine and a good atmosphere is what we’re about
At the counter, you’ll find a carefully curated selection that might include sea trout, lemon sole and king prawns, as well as intensely flavoured, dry-aged varieties such as Spanish mackerel and swordfish. On the restaurant side, food is straightforward (“not messed around with”, as Jay puts it), placing excellent fish front and centre and allowing it to shine. The menu incorporates Spanish and Asian influences, offering up lip-smacking sea bream tacos, crisp salmon belly with yuzu kosho, and exquisite roast monkfish alongside a creamy Goan curry sauce. There’s classic seafood fare, too, from the plates of glistening Porthilly oysters to the salty Galician sardines and juicy lobster. Diners can opt for brunch, lunch from the à la carte menu, or enjoy a whistle-stop tour of Fin Boys’ favourites with the seven-course tasting menu. For those who enjoy watching chefs at work, a spot at the pass – which gives a front row view of the action – is a must, and the team
delight in sharing their knowledge and offering advice on all things fish, from new species to try, to storage and recipes.
“Good food, good wine and a good atmosphere is what we’re about,” says Jay. “But we want to educate people, too. If someone comes in and they’re really enthusiastic about what they’re eating, we’ll get enthusiastic and give them little bits to try and tell them more about it!”
The immediate plan for the Fin Boys is to spread the word about their unique offering in the city. Beyond that, the ambition is to become a one-stop shop for fish – whether dining or buying to cook at home, offering recipe cards and boxes with all you need to make the dishes. Turn the page for a taster of the sort of delightful fare you can expect…
Tacos al pastor
Ingredients:
• Blue corn tacos
• 1 Fin Boys sea bream
• Pastor (see below)
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 lime
• Pinch of coriander
To make the pastor:
• 10g ancho
• 10g chipotle
• 10g guajillo
• 30g achiote paste
• 5g black peppercorns
• 5g dried oregano
• 5g cinnamon sticks
• 5g cumin seeds
• 3g cloves
• 3g allspice
• 60g garlic
• 100ml cider vinegar
• 50ml fresh orange juice
• 1 pineapple, blackened then pureed
Step-by-step guide:
1. First, make your pastor. This recipe is for a large bottle that can be kept in the fridge for months – and enjoyed on meat, veggies and anything else you fancy. (Pastor can also be bought from the Fin Boys fridge.) Cook all the spices to brown off, add the pineapple, vinegar and juice, and combine.
2. Marinate the sea bream in the pastor for one hour.
3. Take your marinated fish and fry in a pan, using a little oil, for about three minutes to crisp up one side.
4. Finally, lay out your taco and pop the fish on top, assembling with a slice of avocado, red onion, lime and coriander, with a sprinkle of salt to finish.
Sea Trout
Ingredients
• 200g Fin Boys sea trout
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• Handful of corn from the cob (plus a little extra to garnish)
• Half a lime
• Coriander to garnish
• Shaved coconut to garnish
• Jalapenos to garnish
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Combine the coconut milk with a generous handful of corn, and blend in a processor until smooth.
2. Slice the trout and place in a shallow bowl, then pour over the blended ingredients.
3. Add the lime until soaked, and garnish with a sprinkle of the corn, shaved coconut, jalapenos and coriander.
Fin Boys is at 2 Mill Road, Cambridge. It’s open from Wednesday to Saturday, and on Sundays for brunch. fin-boys.com
