Getting your money’s worth out of a trip to Sweet’s Island Place is a breeze, and a light, tropical one at that.

No entree at the Provo restaurant is more than $7 on its own, and every dish we tried contained twice the amount of food we anticipated.

Ample help and hospitality come free, along with a laid-back island atmosphere that has made Sweet’s an oft-visited destination among Pacific Islanders in Utah County.

Murals of palm trees, plumerias and surfboards cover the walls at Sweet’s, while a bronze statue of what we could only assume to be a tanned-and-toned Polynesian prince greets customers at the door.

Of course, there are employees to greet the customers as well, and on a recent trip, it seemed like nearly every guest (excluding us) was on a first-name basis with the staff. A wall plastered with wedding announcements indicated the same, leaving us to conclude that Sweet is one popular dude.

Even though they didn’t know us from Adam, the staff at Sweet’s cheerfully explained the menu and even went so far as to suggest entrees that would suffice for a party of two.

Although the menu features several chicken, pork and meaty entrees, as well as island-inspired breakfasts, sides and desserts, we were informed that most people at Sweet’s order the island plate lunch. The combination plate consists of meat, starch (rice or noodles) and macaroni or green salad.

We tried the three-entree combination plate with chicken katsu, kaluha pork and fried mahi mahi. Chicken katsu is Japanese-style fried chicken that is extremely popular in the Hawaiian and South Pacific Islands. The katsu at Sweet’s is likely popular, too, with its firm and crispy coating and tender meat inside. Unlike some fried chicken we’ve tried, the katsu wasn’t overly greasy or filling.

The fried mahi mahi wasn’t as memorable as the katsu, but we will visit Sweet’s again for more kaluha pork. The pork had a light, slightly salty taste that reminded us of meat we’ve sampled in the Hawaiian islands.

We also tried the teriyaki ribs, and although there was plenty to go around, we couldn’t find much meat for all the fat.

Each combination plate comes with a choice of starch, and we tried both the teriyaki noodles and sticky rice with teriyaki sauce. Both were tasty, although the noodles were a little greasy; dieters may want to choose rice.

The restaurant was out of green salad so we went for the mac salad — a more authentic choice, anyway, employees told us. The mac salad wasn’t exactly packed with flavor, but it didn’t taste bad, either, and would be a good choice for those who like comfort foods.

No matter what entree you choose, we recommend ordering otai instead of soda. The creamy drink, made with coconut milk, fresh mango and pineapple, sweetened our meal, so to speak, and made us feel like we were back in the islands again.

If you’re looking for a truly authentic tropical experience, Sweet’s also hosts full-blown luaus on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. It’s quicker than a trip to the islands, and it’s cheaper, too.

Sweet’s Island Place

Where: 711 W. Columbia Lane, Provo (across the street from Deseret Industries)

Cost: $1.49-$7.00

Family call: Fine for kids

Vegetarian options: Few

Info: 374-0000