Located in the beating heart of Cambridge’s stunning historic centre, down the iconic Trinity Street, lies the aptly named Trinity. The restaurant offers contemporary fine dining by executive chef Kareem Roberts.

It is a beautiful building in a beautiful part of town. Parking here is challenging for anyone coming from outside the Cambridge bubble, especially since the closure of Park Street car park, but anyone living in the city or a village with a quick and easy bus route should have little trouble getting in.

Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by the staff. Now, I could just write that they are ‘friendly and attentive’ but I don’t feel like I would be doing them justice. Most restaurants are able to provide this level of service and it is quite easy to simply be nice to people but the team here, without any exception, were superb. I learned a bit about each of them personally and I felt a genuine interest from them to learn a bit about me. I can really see this being a place where I could build a solid relationship with the team if I became a regular, that gives me a reason to return frequently. A few of the gentlemen in particular had a humorous wit and charm that really made us chuckle and lightened the already pleasant atmosphere further. This, accompanied with their eclectic knowledge of what they were serving really matched the character and sophisticated surroundings of the city we were in. In a way, the team made the restaurant feel like a slice of Cambridge itself.

We started off as all people should in a place of this calibre, with a bottle of wine. The wine list is extensive with bottles from all over the world, whether it be from France, New Zealand, or even Bulgaria. For me, a great way of judging a restaurant is by going for their house wine. Since Trinity is known for its fish and seafood the team recommended we go with a Sicilian white wine called “Sei Corone”. This was similar to a Pinot Grigio but had a fuller flavour with hints of citrus and peach. A perfect recommendation that served us well throughout the meal. We were right to trust them.

We were presented with onion seed focaccia to get started, which was accompanied with curry oil (top left), lemongrass and chilli vinegar (top right), and pumpkin seed oil (bottom).

Each oil didn’t look overly appetising by the eye but each had its own distinctive taste and offered something unique to the palate. Being a big curry guy and a hot head, I thought the curry oil was going to be my stand out favourite but by the end I was left scratching my head as to which one I would call my preferred choice. If a gun was held to my head I think the pumpkin seed oil was my preferred choice but all three were marvellous.

Sean: With Simon not being the world’s biggest seafood fan, and what with me being a former fishmonger. I took on the selfless task of forcing down 3 of the 4 oysters put in front of us. Being something of a purist, I have tended to go for the least dressed options in the past. Maybe just a little lemon juice with some shallots (which is on the menu here) or a dash of tabasco sauce. But I wasn’t about to complain when presented with their baked and dressed options.

Sean: All of Trinity’s oysters are sourced from Lindisfarne.- In orange is their baked offering, served in the half shell with a ssamjang emulsion. In truth I hadn’t expected to enjoy a baked oyster as much as a live one, expecting it to take on the texture of tinned smoked oysters. I couldn’t have been more wrong as the oyster maintained its soft almost pillowy texture, and the ssamjang emulsion popped with flavour without overwhelming the delicate ocean notes of the oyster itself. In yellow was the dressed option, served with a citrus vinaigrette and fennel crumb, adding a nice bit of texture and zing to proceedings. Both were absolutely faultless.

Next on our culinary journey was jerked spiced pork shoulder served with roasted sweet potato and mango jam. This came with a delightful slice of crackling which really added a crunchy texture that complemented the juiciness of the pork. The pork was tender but also had some strength to it which made it feel more substantial and meaty. The mango jam gave this dish a third dimension that made the flavour more exciting and the bite sweet and less dry.

This beautiful looking dish is the mac n cheese croquette, dressed celeriac, taramasalata, and whelk ragout. This remind us of a fish pie with all the warmth and cuddles of a home made mac and cheese. This was real comfort food done in a beautifully presented style.

Next was the confit stone bass with clam chowder in a textured celery dressing and smoked cod roe. The thinly sliced celery gave this juicy and succulent dish a real nice crunch, adding a great texture on the bite.

The stone bass was large and superbly cut. This could only be accomplished with a very large several kilo bass.

The previous mac and cheese, stone bass, and the pork dishes were all considered mains and came to around £30 each. This, after all, is fine dining and may be out of some people’s price range for a casual meal but quite simply, you have to pay for quality, and quality of exactly what you get at Trinity. One of the biggest anxieties for some customers is taking the risk of paying good money for a top meal only to end up being a disappointment. Unfortunately, there are many examples littered across Cambridge where you pay good money for an average meal. Trinity is not one of them.

For dessert we were presented with the Banana sponge cake, kulfi, sweet potato halva.

The kulfi (or better known as traditional Indian ice cream) offered a really creamy texture with a lovely flavour, while the sweet potato halva gave my dessert a visual pop on the plate, as well as adding a further textured to the bite. Initially, I was unsure as to how sweet potato could work in a dessert but all doubts were put to bed immediately with the first bite. It added a real complex flavour when combined with the kulfi and sponge cake which burst in the mouth reminding me of the importance of chemistry and flavour balance in food.

Trinity is a great example of fine dining in Cambridge. Picture it, strolling through the historic centre of Cambridge, through Green Street, and popping in for a bottle of wine and some excellent cuisine. The atmosphere and service is impeccable and really makes you feel welcomed. Keeping in mind that fine dining in a historic (and expensive) location comes at a price. This is perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or special occasions but might be a bit out of reach for some people looking for an every day meal out. If this is within your budget however, Trinity is an absolute no brainer.

Thanks for reading.