The aroma of banana-leaf cooked pork and oldies music wafted through the Alumni Court Thursday afternoon as part of a luau to welcome new students to NIU.

The Holmes Student Center staff threw the luau at the corner of Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road.

People filtered in during the two-and-a-half hours the feast was open, said Karen Villano, HSC Food Service staff member. Despite the turnout, she said she wasn’t confident the luau would net much profit.

“We’ll be lucky if we’re going to break even on this thing,” Villano said.

Tickets for the buffet were sold on-site, but those who bought advanced tickets were offered a free tropical drink from the tiki bar, complete with a little paper umbrella.

This is the second year that they hosted this event, Villano said. Last year, it was held inside the HSC.

Staff served authentic Pacific Rim food, said Erwin Wittke, head chef for HSC internal catering, who spent hours on his computer searching the Internet for recipes.

The difference between many other types of food and Pacific Rim food is that the ingredients mix well and aren’t overpowering, Wittke said.

“There are a lot of ingredients that taste so strong by themselves,” Wittke said.

Garlic and soy sauce are examples of ingredients used often in the cooking. Most Pacific Rim cooking balances out the strong tastes and creates a mild blend of flavors, Wittke said.

Several Pacific Rim dishes were featured, including Hekka – a stir-fry dish usually made with chicken but made vegetarian for the event. Luau participants could also taste Saimini beef, a Hawaiian dish that is a “regular middle-class” meal, Wittke said.