onolicious

"Onolicious" is a playful portmanteau of the Hawaiian word "ʻono" (delicious) and the English word "delicious." It is primarily used to describe food that is exceptionally good, hitting the spot perfectly.

While locals do use it, especially in casual, lighthearted settings or when exaggerating how good a meal is, the term has been heavily co-opted by tourist marketing, local food blogs, and mainland transplants trying to sound local. Because of this commercialization, using it too enthusiastically can sometimes sound cheesy or forced. It is inappropriate for serious conversations, but perfectly fine when joking around at a family barbecue or praising a friend's cooking.

Sina and Baby were already halfway through their loco mocos at the Liliha Bakery counter when Kelsey, their new transfer coworker from the mainland, finally showed up. Kelsey had been trying way too hard to blend in since she moved to O'ahu, constantly dropping forced Pidgin into every conversation. She slid onto the diner stool, grabbed a Coco Puff from the pink box on the counter, and took a massive bite.

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Kelsey announced, her voice carrying over the clatter of coffee cups and the sizzle of the grill. She closed her eyes and did a little shoulder shimmy. "This pastry is just... onolisicious! Like, totally broke da mouth, right?"

The entire diner went dead silent. The older Japanese waitresses stopped wiping the counters, staring at her with raised eyebrows. Sina slowly put her fork down, burying her face in her hands, while Baby just stared at Kelsey in pure disbelief. Realizing she had practically yelled a cheesy tourist catchphrase in a diner full of regulars, Kelsey's face flushed bright red. She quietly put the half-eaten Coco Puff down and spent the rest of the breakfast staring intensely at her water glass.