Before I start, I want to say that there are minor spoilers!

When I first started watching Delicious Romance, I only intended to watch a few episodes. Surprisingly, I binge-watched 12 episodes before heading to bed. It was such an easy and entertaining watch, and that's one of its charms. I couldn't stop watching it. The dialogue was natural, and the humor was golden. The numerous characters, plotlines, and the girls' friendship kept me intrigued throughout. Let's start with the characters. I just wanted to mention that I appreciated them all. Of course, some were more entertaining than others, but all of them were interesting or likable in their own ways. 

My personal favorite is Fang Xin, delivered by Zhang Han Yun. Because she is beautiful, her goals and needs can easily be fulfilled by others. Fang Xin, for example, has various allergies, but she has never had to learn how to cook according to her needs as others already provide that for her. For instance, her ex-husband was the one that prepared all of her food. There are several examples throughout that demonstrate how beauty can make life easier. However, beauty has certain drawbacks. Fang Xin is frequently underestimated and looked down upon, particularly in her workplace. What I admire about her is her strong work ethic, as well as her ability to bite back if necessary. Her characterization is unsurprising, yet I still enjoyed Fang Xin's character immensely. I like how she approaches situations, and I like how she recognizes that her beauty gives her an edge. Her romance with Zhang Ting (Ren Bin) was quite entertaining to follow. Zhang Ting was a little dull for me, but he's a genuinely sweet guy. Despite the fact that he didn't know Fang Xin, he treated her kindly. You could argue that it has something to do with her beauty. Still, the two were adorable together. 

Xia Meng, performed by Wang Ju, is my second favorite. Oh my gosh, Wang Ju was fantastic. She portrayed Xia Meng perfectly. Literally, chef's kisses. Xia Meng is successful and headstrong, and how could I forget her proclivity for telling lies after lies? Her achievement far outweighs that of her long-term boyfriend, Wang Ji Cong (Yang Bo Xiao). Because they work in the same department, Wang Ji Cong frequently feels inferior to Xia Meng. After the two break up, Xia Meng meets a charming fitness trainer named Lu Bin (Zhang Fan). The difference in income from her previous relationship affected her mindset and thus affected her current relationship. Her plotline was definitely the most interesting. I also like the conclusion to her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. That was the conclusion I was hoping for, and I'm glad that the writers agreed with me.

Finally, there is Liu Jing, who is played by Li Chun. She's not my fave, but she's still intriguing. She is a culinary blogger who also studied IT. She is unsure about what she wants to accomplish with her life. What she knows is that marriage is the last thing she wants to do, despite her mother's wishes. She frequently feels invalidated by her mother for not marrying. Even when she develops feelings for a man, he is a divorced single father (Jiang Shan Mu played by Zhou Cheng Ao). Divorced people face discrimination in China, therefore her parents were vehemently opposed to him. I'm not a fan of these kinds of parents in dramas since they're exhausting to watch. However, such parents do exist, and Liu Jing's parents are a prime example. Other than that, I like her relationship with Jiang Shan Mu and his daughter. His daughter was a delightful character. She has a lot of sass and is actually pretty mature.

The three's friendship is both realistic and entertaining. I enjoyed watching the scenes of their childhood. The dialogue is also exceptionally well-written and natural. It talks about many social issues, with humor thrown in to lighten up the drama. There are some cliche and cringy parts, though. I also feel like the drama could have been a couple of episodes longer. That would have allowed the story to finish up some characterizations, and some of the relationships would be more concluded. Overall, this drama was a treat to watch.

Note: An 8.5 might seem low for others, but just know that it's really high for me :)