3fils

Industry awards are, rightly, a barometer of quality; 3Fils has had no lack of them over the years. However, staying on top is a completely different proposition.

3Fils’ food is still extremely good but things aren’t quite the same as during its first flourish of success.

Service is particularly suffering, with staff showing little interest in making guests feel welcome upon entering and then going missing when they’re needed to take orders and clear the tables.

The restaurant is fortunately saved by the kitchen, though with many of the plates being created by the previous chef, we’re looking forward to seeing what Shun Shiroma brings to the table once he’s established in the kitchen.

The Fremantle octopus is almost flawless; perfectly cooked, beautifully balanced with a simple presentation to allow the food to be the star of the plate.

The lamb ribs are gloriously slow cooked, with meat falling off the bone. The sweet, tangy glaze complements the richness of the meat.

This is a kitchen that clearly cares about the output and it’s a shame that the chefs are being let down elsewhere.

The Napoleon dessert is a wonderful mixture of palm sugar crisp, semifreddo, banana foam, caramalised banana and coffee honey. It’s delicious.

It’s been a while since 3Fils lost its original star Akmal Anuar, who has gone on to do his own thing elsewhere, but with the recent appointment of chef Shiroma perhaps a new chapter is approaching.

There is still a loyal following for the restaurant, especially among local residents, but it feels like the restaurant is reaching a crossroads that coud define its entire future