How to comment about food in French

Positive and Negative Comments about Food 

In French etiquette, a cook always expects many compliments on their food.

At home or in a restaurant, it is common to express your satisfaction or disappointment.

So today, we'll study how to make positive and negative comments about food.

Positive comments about food in French:

• La présentation est magnifique/ superbe.
       The presentation is gorgeous.
• C'est vraiment appétissant.
        It looks tasty/ appetising.
• J'en ai l'eau à la bouche.
        It makes my mouth water.
• Mmmmm
       The sound the French will do when something looks appetising / tastes good - you'll hear a lot of "Mmmm" when the French are eating!
• Miam!
       Yum!
•  Je me régale. 
       I am really enjoying it/ I love it.
• C'est un délice.
       It's a delight.
•  C'est vraiment/ très bon.
       It's really/ very good.
• C'est délicieux.
       It's delicious.
• C'est fameux.
       It's delicious - a bit more old fashion.
• C'est très fin.
       It's very delicate.
• L'assaisonnement est parfait.
       The seasoning is perfect.
• La viande est très bien cuite, et tendre.

       The meat is very well cooked, and tender.
• Les légumes sont bien croquants.
       The vegetables are nicely crunchy.
  

Negative Comments About Food in French:

 ( Now, for comments you'll make later, on the way home in your car ... )

• Qu'est-ce que c'était laid ( or "Moche" in colloquial French ).

               It was so ugly.

• Berk ( or "beurk", alternate spelling & pronunciation)

               Yuck

• C'était immangeable.

               It was inedible.

• La viande était super dure.

               The meat was super tough.

• C'était beaucoup trop cuit.

               It was really over done.

•  C'était pas assez cuit. / C'était cru.

               It was not cooked enough / raw - you may be exaggerating a bit there but it's ok!
[Note that in formal French, you would need to say "Ce n'était pas assez cuit". But more and more, we drop the "ne" in spoken French.]

•  Le poulet était tellement fade.

               The chicken was so bland / tasteless.

• La sauce n'avait aucun goût.

               The sauce had no flavor.

• Les huîtres n'étaient pas fraîches.

               The oysters were not fresh (you should really have not eaten them ! - you might now need to read this).

• C'était trop sucré / salé / fort / poivré / épicé - piquant / lourd / brulé / glacé .

                 It was too sweet / salty / strong / peppery / spicy / heavy / burnt / very cold.

• C'était infect / dégoûtant.

               Or in common slang : C'était dégueulasse (short " dégueu").
               It was disgusting.