3 fils for 3 filles (girls in french)

It's been a long... break. My Instagram is still busy with photos upload at the rate of hmm maybe twice weekly when I'm not lazy. Mostly of the things I make, and yes, I upload them as reference for the future, when I can't think of anything to bring to a party :D

So my blog just woke up from the dead, as I want to share my dining experience yesterday at a new local joint. It was coincidentally Mother's Day in the UAE and a date was set for 3 filles to go out have dinner and support the Singaporean owned 3 Fils, located at Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 1.

Now 3 Fils is a newcomer in Dubai culinary scene but it is already making its presence felt with what they have to offer. With a Time Out "Newcomer" Award under their belt, they are under a lot of pressure to impress and keep sweeping their guests off their feet.

I'm a foodie. A food connoisseur, if you like; simply because I don't like the term "critic". I find that it is impolite to "critic" or give any unfair or bias judgements based on my own personal taste and limited insights and experience. And there are already so many food critics around, so I will just focus on spreading "good words" of establishments I deem deserving. I will share my findings of great places to eat, tried and tested recipes and blog about new experiences relating to well, food. Today's blog is about 3 Fils. So who are they? What kind of food they serve? What is so special about them? What was my favorite dish? Ok all that will be revealed in a minute.

So I heard the handsome Chef Akmal came to Dubai to make waves at Zengo, Le Meridien and make waves he did until he finally threw in the towel when an opportunity to shine on his own knocks on the door. We call this kind of things 'fate'. It's destiny, the spirit of Hakuna Matata clearly possessed him to leave his cushiony job and venture into the unknown. And we thank God he did.

I wasn't sure sure what to order looking at a single page menu. There were options that were totally strange to me and there were the other usual suspects (like Sliders, Chicken Wings). The nice girl Kay assigned to our table recommended that we go for some stones (Edible Stones) and wood (Charcoal Fry) thing. Wait...whaaaaat? My grandma's words kept ringing in my head at that time - "Kau tu semua tak tolak, tolak batu dengan kayu aje!" Direct translation "You never reject anything (food), expect stones and wood". So I made it my personal mission to include "Batu" and "Kayu" so that I can tick that off my lists of things I haven't yet ventured. Well, that list has been ticked! Interesting experience indeed!

Now, as for the rest of the evening, we 3 filles totally let the Chef have a free hand on what goes into our tumtums. It was a good decision as we kept getting surprised by the entrées that comes one after another and I remembered us telling them to slow down! Every plate was a treat to the senses. I was curious about the Beef Capaccio when it was presented - I mean, I'm not exactly a fan of raw food - I am cautious of them - but I'm game to try. It was actually pleasant, especially with the tangy Rosato Soursauce that saved me from hallucinating the image of blood dripping freshly hunted piece of trophy meat. Gulp.

I think we had all of the sushi selections and they were easily gobbled down with no hesitation. It is nothing like the sushis I've had in Japan - so if you are expecting authenticity, you shouldn't be here. The sushis are all served playfully and almost in an ego-centric kind of way - each standing out on their own by their looks as well as their taste.

I believe Chef Akmal went out of his way and served us things that were off the charts, literally. I was happy to experience it all, taking my time to savor each piece of art, letting the unique flavor find its way to my trickling taste buds. The session was also as sensual to the eyes as it is to the mouth. Chef Akmal's personal touches to the beautiful plating is worth mentioning. His keen sense of style and eye to detail have us gawking at every plate, every garnish and every colors presented on it. For the first time ever maybe, I think with my head and not with my stomach while looking at food.

It is hard for me to pick one dish to be my favorite - I don't usually have my waffles as a savory, but when it came with Duck meat, it's hard to say no to. The succulent lamb ribs and Fremantle octopus with potato leek puree and gremolata-whatever-that-is, was the deal sealer; we were at the state of being subtlely hypnotic. It was timely, as the crowd started to disperse (yes, they get fully booked ahead, so it is advisable to make an advanced reservation) and we opted to go outside to enjoy the view and the rest of our evening.

The perfect ending to the sweet sweet day was the much-anticipated mouth-watering deserts. Of course, we had to sample them all - so each of us had a taste of everything. The African Powerhouse lived up to its name and it was not easy to persuade my fellow dining partner (insert evil glare emoticon) to share the rich chocolate heaven. Next came, The Toothfairy, which is a strange name for a desert - it is colorful and fun much like a holiday on a exotic island.  I was skeptical, because, I don't want the beauty to be skin deep - but when I had my first spoon, I thought I just stepped out of a shower in the rainforest with birds chirping around me and dropping a lei (A necklace made out of a garland of heavenly and fragrant Hawaiian flowers) over my head! Yes, it was that dramatic. The finishing desert was the mysterious Karak Ice Cream which represents Dubai's favorite hot beverage. My, my, I underestimated the entrance it was going to make! One of the kitchen boys brought out his tools and whipped up the surprise right before our eyes. It was ice cream, then the foam then the cone and liberal toss of cardamom powder and then he held the hammer and crushed the cone. I was left breathless and then later wished I get to crack it instead. But yeah, well played!

I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a new dining experience and are adventurous about food. Each meal is thoughtfully presented and an unforgettable journey of the minds and senses. I would definitely come back again with friends who want to explore this electrifying gastronomic journey with me.

Insider note 1: Chef Akmal's wife, Inez is usually at the restaurant helping out. You can't miss her, she is bubbly and beautiful!

Insider note 2 : If you get Kay to serve you, she has a thing about counting to 4 before she clicks on the camera/phone. So get used to it, and don't smile too early. 

Ruby @ Maknenek

Foodie &

Food connoisseur

#eatupbehappy #dubaifoodie #maknenek
Instagram Acct @rubymohd