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3 Fils

Dubai

Casual Asian fusion – and amazing desserts – in a comfortable setting

First in class: 3 Fils was the first-ever venue to be bestowed the title of The Best Restaurant in Middle East & North Africa in 2022. Its winning combination of Asian fusion dishes, an unflashy and unlicensed venue and super-casual dining style have transformed it into one of the most sought-after places to eat in all the MENA region.

The chefs: Chef Ciprian Porumbacean learnt to cook under the mentorship of his father and grandmother at the family’s restaurant in Romania. With more than 15 years’ experience, he has worked in restaurants including Uchi in DIFC, Avli by Tashas, Nikki Beach’s Satine by Nikki, Alice at the Grand Sheraton and Play at the H Hotel. Filipino chef Jhovani Manolo began his career after college as a kitchen steward, before hopping on a plane to Dubai and not looking back. After five years working in restaurants across the region, he joined the team at 3 Fils.

On the Pass

Ciprian Porumbacean

Room for dessert? Beyond the premium Asian fare, 3 Fils also features its own dessert bar on the premises, called Brix. Here, Spanish pastry chef Carmen Rueda Hernandez – an alumnus of Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck – lets her creative juices flow into dishes such as Ananas: a delicate bowl of pastry cream, caramelised pineapple, coconut mousse, peach sorbet and almond flakes.

Superb service: Hospitality is at the heart of the ideology behind 3 Fils, with service that feels warm and authentic from the moment guests arrive at the understated venue in the Jumeirah Fishing Harbour.

What’s in a name? The restaurant – whose moniker references a local phrase that equates to ‘two cents’ – was founded in late 2016 by two Emirati restaurateurs and chef Akmal Anuar. Its harbour location in an old fishermen’s building, along with the adjacent waterside terrace, has direct links to the UAE’s spear-fishing origins.

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