This home-grown Dubai restaurant has been popular for years, but does it still stand against rising competition?

Since opening in 2016, 3 Fils has made a strong name for itself with both locals and expats.

With both standalone and chain Asian restaurants increasingly opening across the city, What’s On popped down to see if this modern-Asian concept can still stand against the rising list of competitors.

The small fishing harbour restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, but all tables are served on a walk-in basis. The venue is quiet when we first arrive, but it soon fills up with small groups of friends or families looking to get some tasty eats on a Tuesday evening.

Taking inspiration from its surroundings, the venue has been designed using upcycled fishing materials. A barrel forms the base of our table and we’re positioned facing an artwork which has been created using a variety of wooden tubes.

We start with a few of the maki dishes and our favourite matched the favourite of our server. The spicy tuna (Dhs52) arrives as little candy-like cubes with a crunchy coating and soft tasty fish in the middle as well as samjang, wasabi mayo and furikake.

The dragon rolls (Dhs42) are also a winner, with lightly battered tempura shrimp running through the centre, a sweet and kicking gochujang paste and a moreish crispy topping.

For the meat lovers, the wagyu and caviar nigiri (Dhs125) is an interesting bite. The buttery-soft meat melts in the mouth, balanced perfectly against the cushioned rice bed.

Out of all of the main courses, the cod fish (Dhs120) had us drooling from the image on the menu. The exterior was as crispy and golden as we’d hoped but the flaky fish pieces inside were slightly undercooked for our liking.

We couldn’t leave without giving their Indomie noodles a try. The supermarket-bought instant pot noodle dish has been given its own ‘3 Fils spin’, to improve the flavour and texture using crunchy greens and crispy meat pieces.

With minimal stomach space, we’re persuaded to try the African Powerhouse (Dhs37). The dessert contains Ghana dark chocolate to create a soft and gooey slice which all chocolate-lovers would enjoy.

Complemented by a sprinkle of sea salt and scoop of Masagascar vanilla ice-cream, the African Powerhouse succeeded in satisfying our sweet tooth without being sickly.

Having enjoyed a mix of healthy and indulgent; inexpensive and pricey dishes, it’s fair to say that this independent eatery covers all bases. For a quick fix of well-executed Asian dishes, we certainly wouldn’t turn it down.

3 Fils, Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, daily 12pm to 11.3pm, walk-in only. Tel: (04) 333 4003. 3fils.com