‘Imiloa is the Hawaiian word for seeker, and it is the name for the attraction in Hilo, Hawaii that features a fine planetarium, astronomy and cultural exhibits, and gardens. We happened to be seeking lunch, however, and found that at the Sky Garden Restaurant in the ‘Imiloa complex. The restaurant provides delicious inexpensive buffet-style Hawaiian food suitable for space travelers or other travelers. The buffet is a short course in Hawaiian specialties.

The Sky Garden is modern and spacious, with windows surrounding the circular dining room. A buffet line runs down the center of the room. There is plenty of seating and plenty of food. The buffet is presently $16, a bargain.

The food selections are mostly Hawaiian standards, which qualifies as exotic for most other places. It is expertly prepared. Preparation is important for dishes like the shrimp, which is done with a thin batter and fried crispy. The shrimp is whole, with heads and shells. It is designed to be completely consumed, except for the tail. That approach only works with thin-shelled varieties of shrimp. When everything is working right, the shrimp flavor is intense and the crunch is a treat. You can wimp out by taking the head off the shrimp, but you ought to give the whole think a try.

Hawaiians make salads of raw fish, generically called poke. The most approachable is lomi lomi salmon, included in the buffet salads. The salmon is combined with tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Recipes include varieties with salted, raw, and smoked salmon. It’s a good dish to try at home. Lomi lomi salmon goes well with roast pork or almost anything that is on the heavy side. It’s also used as a dip.

Tofu is represented with a dish of tofu and mushrooms. Tofu itself has a mild flavor, and the mushrooms provide a tasty compliment. It put mine over rice, which keeps with the Hawaiian idea of having two kinds of starch in a dish, like potato-and-macaroni salad.

Sesame chicken wings can rise above the ordinary when prepared right. The Sky Garden version rates a good seven or eight on a ten point scale. They avoid the buffet hazard of severe overcooking.

The color standout, especially for those unaccustomed to blue food, are the Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes. They taste like regular sweet potatoes, although perhaps a little sweeter and a bit less starchy. A web page on Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes lists health benefits and provides recipes. At the Sky Garden they appeared in a salad with onions and peppers.

The Sky Garden is closed on Mondays and offers lunch on the other days. They also serve dinner on Thursday through Sunday. They are located near the University of Hawaii campus, upslope from most of Hilo. ‘Imiloa is a logical first stop if you are coming from the Kona side of the Big Island over Saddle Road. The Saddle Road has been substantially improved in recent years, so it is, shall we say, less exciting while still scenic. The Volcano House in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is closed for renovations, so ‘Imiloa fills the ecological niche for Hawaiian buffet lunch.

The great astronomical observatories atop Mauna Kea are used remotely by scientists in Hilo, which makes astronomy a local industry. The astronmy features of ‘Imiloa are worthwhile in their own right. We enjoyed the planetarium and exhibits.