Pineapple Can Go on Pizza, but Should it Go on Salmon?

Island Wing Company is the newest addition to the slew of restaurants in Harrisonburg. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday except for Fridays and Saturdays, where its hours extend to midnight. Island Wing Company is right across from the movie theater and just a few blocks from the local mall and Costco, perfectly placed in the center of Harrisonburg. 

The first thing that stands out are the tropical vibes given off by the restaurant. Bright blue walls and prominent orange chairs evoke a relaxing atmosphere like  being at the beachfront with your favorite drink in hand. To the relief of hesitant patrons, all employees are masked and contactless menus are available via QR codes on the tables. Social distancing is also in effect so consumers can “breathe easy” as well. 

I dined at Island Wing Company on a Monday night at 7 p.m., the most common dinner time in the area. For a Monday night, the restaurant was not excessively packed, but it did have quite a few more customers than surrounding restaurants due to its infancy. 

I ordered Caribbean Salmon ($23.99) which is paired with coconut sprinkled rice and steamed vegetables. The salmon is a significantly larger portion compared to most restaurants and is topped with pineapple instead of the typical lemon. Although the spices on the salmon are quite pleasant and excite the taste buds, the pineapple unfortunately overpowers the dish leaving the entree sweeter than preferred. Likewise with the rice, the coconut added an excessive amount of sweetness, hindering the rice’s potential. Surprisingly, the steamed vegetables were the star of the show, perfectly textured and lightly seasoned to the satisfaction of the customer.

 I applaud Island Wing’s ambition with their recipes, bringing fresh, new dishes to the area, however, they fall short in capturing the same success as their ambiance.