An escape to the Hawaiian Islands has to be on a few folks' minds just about now. While our winter has not been as brutal as last year's, it is still cold and icy. And the frenzy of holiday shopping has drained some of us of our last ounce of good cheer and available credit.
The Islander, a new restaurant in the Triad Center, offers at least a momentary respite from the stresses and climate of the season with its South Seas menu and atmosphere. While wearing our shell leis compliments of the management and doted upon by service with Aloha shirts, we watched skaters at the nearby ice rink. They were falling down to the rhythm of "Golden Oldies." We swayed to the strains of Don Ho. It was a pleasant contrast.The menu features a lengthy list of dishes with engaging and creative Polynesian touches, including ginger, papaya, citrus, passion fruit, Maui onions, teriyaki and mango, to name a few. Unfortunately, the descriptions of the dishes on paper did not measure up when sampled on our plates.
The scallop and tobiko ravioli with orange ginger sauce ($6.50), consisted of three chewy flat raviolis covered with a sauce that resembled conventional marmalade. The tobiko, or flying fish roe, lent a strong fishy taste. It was both too strong and too sweet in overall flavor. The Thai papaya shrimp salad ($7.95) was considerably better. A generous serving of spinach and other salad greens was laced with buttered pine nuts, slices of papaya, red bell peppers, cold shrimp, all blended with lime sweet and sour dressing.
Other appetizer and salad courses include stuffed potato shells with smoked fish ($5.95), steamed mussels with curry-coconut sauce ($6.50), Islander roasted chicken wings ($5.95), shrimp rolls with teriyaki dipping sauce ($7.95), soba noodle salad with black sesame dressing ($5.95), peppered mackerel salad with cucumber-papaya salad ($6.95), tropical fruit salad in guava syrup ($5.95), and smoked salmon salad in tomatoes with curry-lemon yogurt dressing ($6.95).
Our entrees were also somewhat uneven. The grilled ahi tuna with papaya-basil sauce ($12.95) was overcooked and dry; the sauce a tasteless roux. The same affliction befell the crab cakes ($13.95). The mahi-mahi with a garlic sesame crust and orange relish ($14.95) was tender and moist, though the seasonings in the crust could have been more pronounced. The full rack of the house special pineapple barbecue babyback ribs ($16.95) was a generous serving, covered with a pleasing tomato-based sauce. Unfortunately they were served cold; a return to the kitchen with appropriate apologies made them more palatable.
Each entree comes with a choice of green salad or soup. The cream of chicken tasted more like clam chowder, the rolls were a dense poppy seed, and the salads adequate. Stir fry vegetables with some of the entrees were overdone.
Other entrees of interest include salmon in ginger butter sauce ($14.95), grilled swordfish with asparagus-sesame vinaigrette ($12.95), steamed shark in black bean sauce ($14.95), passion fruit sauced black sea bass ($12.95), sea scallops with curry-coconut basil sauce ($14.95), roast game hen in orange glaze ($13.95), pork chops with tamarind plum sauce ($15.95), stir fried flank steak ($13.95), teriyaki beef ribs with scallions ($14.95), grilled shrimp cakes with ogo-tomato relish ($13.95), coconut lamb stew ($6.95), and seafood stew ($5.95). Several burgers and sandwiches round out the menu.
Of the four desserts we sampled, two were especially good. The white chocolate cake ($4.95). with guava and banana sauces was rich and distinctive. The chocolate Macadamian nut torte ($4.50) was also very good. A pear tart with vanilla ice cream ($3.95) was ordinary; the Macadamian nuts promised to top the ice cream were absent. A pineapple ginger creme brulle ($4.25) served in a baby pineapple resembled more a commercial mix, though the presentation was cute.
The Islander has a clever and creative flair in its concepts and a unique place in Salt Lake's dining out scene. However, if it is going to flourish then it must remedy the inconsistencies in the kitchen.
Rating: * * 1/2
The Islander, 330 W. South Temple (Carriage House at the Triad Center), 575-8822. Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.; Friday until 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Closed Sunday. Accepts major credit cards; adjacent validated parking.