There’s a few for me. Yamok sauce. Various synthohols. The desserts Troi’s always eating (or being). But most especially gagh. I wouldn’t let the fact it’s some kind of living worm distract me from the way all the cool people describe it. If Riker likes it, I think I would too and I certainly wouldn’t want to look like a p’taQ in front of Riker.
That is also something I wonder about. Most people don’t seem to care if it’s real or replicated, but the people who do care, are very adamant about something being different in replicated food.
I doubt I would notice. I mean, I don’t find processed food disgusting compared to fresh all natural stuff. I’ll pretty much eat anything other than broccoli and cauliflower. 🤷🏻♂️
My take is that the food is just a little too perfectly middle of the road preference wise. As if the foods were cooked with perfect heat so that no piece is burned a little more cooked a little less. Sure it tastes fine, but it doesn’t taste authentic. Because authentic food isn’t about perfection, it’s a dynamic balance of happy accidents. Maybe also because replicated food is designed to be safe. Sometimes the best food isn’t strictly safe. BBQ for instance would not taste the same is you removed all the carbonized carcinogenic bits. Coincidentally broccoli and cauliflower also taste fucking amazing if you add those crispy burnt bits by following a cold sear recipe. (America’s Test Kitchen has a good short video on the process if you’re feeling adventurous.)