A ‣ Talking about flavours and tastes - adjectives and some opposites (≠)

hot, spicy (e.g. curry) ≠ mild

bland [very little flavour; rather negative]

salty [a lot of salt]

sugary [a lot of sugar]

sickly [too much sugar]

savoury /ˈseɪvəri/ [pleasant, slightly salty or with herbs]

sour [sharp, often unpleasant taste, like a lemon, and not sweet]

bitter [with an unpleasantly sharp taste]

tasty [has a good taste/flavour] ≠ tasteless [no flavour at all]

moreish [having a pleasant taste, so you want to eat more]

I love spicy food, especially curries - the hotter the better! My sister prefers mild curries.

Those cakes are too sugary for me. They have a sickly taste.

They had some delicious savoury snacks at the party. They were very moreish.

The breakfast buffet was very poor quality: the coffee tasted bitter and the fruit juice was sour.

The food on the plane was bland and tasteless - it was like eating cardboard!

B ‣ Appearance, presentation and quality of food

This meat is overcooked/overdone / undercooked/underdone.

I'm afraid this mango is a bit unripe. They're not really in season at the moment. [not ready to eat; opp = ripe] [being produced and ready and available]

This butter has gone off. I think we should throw it out. [not good to eat because it is too old]

I don't feel like anything heavy. I just want something light; a salad would be fine.

British cooking can be very stodgy. /ˈstɒdʒi/ [heavy, hard to digest]

Julia will only buy organic fruit and vegetables. [grown without artificial chemicals]

We should try to have a balanced diet, without too much or too little of any particular thing.

A diet of junk food can cause long-term health problems. [food that is unhealthy but easy and quick to eat]

Processed food in general is not good for you. [that has been treated with chemicals to preserve it or give it extra colour or taste]

C ‣ Eating out

At most good restaurants, you usually have to book a table / make a reservation beforehand. If something happens, or you are ill, you may need to cancel the booking/reservation. In the UK a meal in a restaurant is typically three courses: a starter¹, a main course, then a dessert. You can often order side dishes². Some restaurants may have a set menu [a selection of dishes at a fixed price], or you can order individual dishes (called ordering à-la-carte). Restaurants often have specials³ advertised on a board. They often cater for vegetarians, non-meat-eaters⁴ and vegans⁵.

¹ light snack / appetiser
² a smaller dish alongside the main course (e.g. an extra vegetable)
³ dishes only available on that day
⁴ people who don't eat meat but who are not vegetarians
⁵ people who don't eat or use any animal products, such as meat, fish, eggs, cheese or leather

D ‣ Eating at home

HOST¹: Right, there's more soup. Who wants seconds²?

GUEST: Oh, yes, please. It was absolutely delicious.

HOST: There's bread here. Just help yourself³.

GUEST: Thanks.

HOST: Be sure to keep a bit of room for some pudding⁴. Can I re-fill your glass?

GUEST: Ah, yes, thank you.

HOST: Say when.

GUEST: When! That's fine. Thanks.

¹ the person who has invited the guests
² a second serving of something
³ serve yourself
⁴ desserts are often called pudding (uncountable), a sweet (countable) or afters (plural) at home