Dubai boasts a vibrant culinary scene, and a handful of newly awarded Michelin-star restaurants, but few restaurants capture the same vibe as home-grown hero, 3Fils.
3Fils burst onto Dubai's dining scene in late 2016 and has been a popular and stalwart dining destination ever since. Spearheaded by a team with a bold vision, Emirati co-founders Abdulhakim and Adnan Ali, teamed up with Singaporean chef Akmal Anuar (who has since moved on to other ventures) to create 3Fils. Aimed to redefine Dubai's high-living dining scene by focussing on enjoyable, casual dining whilst serving up premium Asian cuisine with a Japanese twist, served in a community-style setting.
The name 3Fils comes from the local equivalent of '2 cents': both a playful reference to a small amount of money, perhaps hinting at the restaurant's relative affordability despite its high-quality food, and the teams own unique take on Asian fusion dishes.
The Location and What to Expect
Tucked in a quiet corner of Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, this unassuming gem is always jam-packed and is widely considered a home-grown favourite. Loved by locals, residents and those in the know, 3Fils has taken the region by storm, and earned numerous awards, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Despite its official and unofficial accolades, 3Fils retains its casual charm.
It is here you'll find tables of families, couples and groups of friends ordering from the innovative Asian fusion menu prepared with premium ingredients, in a relaxed yet buzzy atmosphere. Even with seating both inside and outside the restaurant is full to the brim, which is always a good sign.
Our Order
Our very knowledgable and lovely waiter, Zac, explained that at 3Fils all dishes are served as soon as they are ready, which is a contemporary take on modern ordering. Zac suggested some of the best-selling dishes on the menu which included the seaweed salad, the nesesume salad, the sakura ebi, and of course the Waygu overload burger.
We ordered a good selection of dishes including sushi and some of Zac's suggestions such as the sakura ebi, an noodle-like, angel hair pasta, served with hundreds of perfectly cooked mini Japanese ebi (shrimp), a good dousing of lobster oil and garlic - unique, and we couldn't pass up the Waygu overload burger, a high-quality beef patty is cooked to perfection, and overall the burger is juicy and slightly messy, but oh-so worth it. We also ordered the Indomie noodles with all the trimmings, and we couldn't pass up a side of triple cooked chips. (Note to reader: in hindsight, this was a lot of food, even for two adults with big appetites!)
The randomness of the serving makes for a delightful surprise with every dish delivered to the table, but its undeniable that service is quick and uncomplicated.
Both sushi dishes - the spicy tuna, and the volcano - are fresh and flavourful. The Waygu overload burger is melt in the mouth beautiful, a lot of establishments in Dubai serve Waygu burgers, but this a burger that I would highly recommend. The Indomie noodles arrive next, and wow, this dish only further lengthens our ever-growing list of 'favourite dishes' at 3Fils. The sakura ebi is something special, I have never eaten a dish quite like it - full of flavours of the sea, yet not overpoweringly fishy in taste.
An non-alcoholic establishment, 3Fils prides itself in its own-brand non-alco brews. We tried the house-made 3Fils ginger beer, made with fresh and fiesty ginger a hint of agave and barley malt, its refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to the fusion flavours dancing across our palates. The 'tropical champagne' is a personal favourite, sweet flavours of fermented, honey-infused pineapple combine nicely with a tang of lemon soda and dash of tropical and passionfruit laced lemonade, all sealed with a champagne cork that gives that very satisfying pop when opened.
What is dinner without dessert? The good vibes, fresh flavours and indulgent Friday night dining continued as we ordered the signature cheesecake to share. Accompanying the soft, almost mousse-like vanilla cheesecake, topped a generous drizzle of house-made strawberry jam is a quenelle of cookie ice cream is served atop a crumble of biscuit, and it all works together in perfect harmony.
In Conclusion
Prepare to be surprised by the fusion of well-thought out flavours, combined with Michelin-worthy quality and an approachable atmosphere, dining at 3Fils is a truly special Dubai experience.
@3fils
3Fils.com
Walk ins only
Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 1, Jumeirah 2, Dubai, UAE
