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Food matches: find dishes like the ones you love
Pick a dish you already love and Palytt shows you 6 dishes with the closest flavor profile, each with a 0–100 match score and one line on why. Choose up to three favorites to get one list that fits all of them.
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Pick up to 3 dishes you love
0 of 3 picked
Your matches show up here as you pick.
Scores on this page compare editorial flavor profiles between dishes and are the same for everyone. They are not personal app match scores or ratings of a restaurant’s preparation. Recipes and menus vary.
60 dishes, 6 matches each
Chinese American
Greek
Hawaiian
Indonesian
Italian American
Japanese
Malaysian
Nepali
Peruvian
How food matches work
Every dish gets a flavor profile
We rate each dish 0 to 5 on rich, savory, spicy, tangy, sweet, fresh, smoky, crunch.
Profiles are compared
Dishes with the same balance score higher, with a small boost for dishes eaten the same way or from neighboring cuisines.
Explore restaurant dishes
Palytt’s Order Guides help compare dishes where menu information is available. Your ratings and friends’ verdicts may add context; coverage varies by restaurant.
Curious about your taste? Explore the Palytt pal quiz in about 3 minutes, or read how restaurant recommendations work in the app.
Ordering tonight? Read what to order for dinner, by mood or what to order at a Mexican restaurant. To keep a record of the dishes you try, compare restaurant tracking and list apps.
The dish flavor atlas
We assigned each of the 60 dishes an editorial 0–5 rating for rich, savory, spicy, tangy, sweet, fresh, smoky, crunch. You can inspect every rating in the table or downloadable files.
File guide
The CSV has one dish per row. The JSON contains the same dish records plus the schema version, profile date, source, editor, catalog scope, rating method, scale, match method and axis labels.
- slug · name · url
- Page identifier, display name and full Palytt dish URL.
- cuisine · region · format
- Editorial cuisine label, its broader comparison group and a dish-format code such as noodle-soup.
- rich · savory · spicy · tangy · sweet · fresh · smoky · crunch
- Eight editorial estimates from 0 (not characteristic) to 5 (strongly characteristic) for a representative version of the dish. They are not measured nutrition or personal match scores.
What the ratings mean
Zero means a trait is not characteristic of the dish; five means it is strongly characteristic. These are Palytt editorial judgments about a representative version of each dish. Recipes and restaurant preparations vary. The numbers are not lab measurements, nutrition data, allergy guidance or personal app scores.
How the matches are scored
We compare the eight ratings with cosine similarity, subtract 0.35 times their average normalized difference, then add 0.10 for the same dish format and 0.06 for a shared cuisine region. We scale that result to 0–100 and cap the displayed score at 97. The cuisine regions are editorial groupings included in the files. These are flavor comparisons between dishes; the app makes separate recommendations from your own taste and friends' verdicts.
What this catalog covers
Palytt's editorial catalog includes 60 generalized dishes across 18 cuisine labels and 12 dish formats. It is not a comprehensive or systematically sampled set of restaurant menus. A dish's profile does not describe every recipe or kitchen's preparation.
History and corrections
The dish profiles were first published September 24, 2026. We added the full ratings table and downloadable CSV and JSON on September 29, 2026. To flag a factual error, contact Palytt.
Compare all 60 dishes
Each number is an editorial rating from 0 to 5. Scroll sideways to see every flavor trait on a small screen.
| Dish | Cuisine | Rich | Savory | Spicy | Tangy | Sweet | Fresh | Smoky | Crunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonkotsu ramen | Japanese | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Shoyu ramen | Japanese | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Pho | Vietnamese | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Curry laksa | Malaysian | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Khao soi | Thai | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Tom yum | Thai | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Pad thai | Thai | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Pad see ew | Thai | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Drunken noodles | Thai | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Dan dan noodles | Chinese | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Beef chow fun | Chinese | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Xiao long bao | Chinese | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Gyoza | Japanese | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Momos | Nepali | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Birria tacos | Mexican | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Tacos al pastor | Mexican | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Banh mi | Vietnamese | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Shawarma | Middle Eastern | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Gyro | Greek | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Korean fried chicken | Korean | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Nashville hot chicken | American | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Tonkatsu | Japanese | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Chicken parmesan | Italian American | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Korean BBQ galbi | Korean | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Bulgogi | Korean | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Yakitori | Japanese | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Carne asada | Mexican | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Smoked brisket | American | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Ribeye steak | American | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Chicken tikka masala | Indian | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Butter chicken | Indian | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Massaman curry | Thai | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Thai green curry | Thai | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Japanese curry | Japanese | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Orange chicken | Chinese American | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Chicken teriyaki | Japanese | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Nasi goreng | Indonesian | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Bibimbap | Korean | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Poke bowl | Hawaiian | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Nigiri sushi | Japanese | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Ceviche | Peruvian | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Larb | Thai | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Mapo tofu | Chinese | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Spaghetti carbonara | Italian | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cacio e pepe | Italian | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Spaghetti alle vongole | Italian | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Margherita pizza | Italian | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Fried rice | Chinese | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Kung pao chicken | Chinese | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| General Tso’s chicken | Chinese American | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Tteokbokki | Korean | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kimchi jjigae | Korean | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Biryani | Indian | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Palak paneer | Indian | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Falafel | Middle Eastern | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Fish tacos | Mexican | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Cheeseburger | American | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Lasagna | Italian American | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Udon | Japanese | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Pad kra pao | Thai | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Profile version · JSON schema version 1. The profile date identifies the current dish ratings and scoring revision; the schema number identifies the file structure. Explore the dish pages to see each flavor profile and its six closest matches.
Suggested citation: Palytt, “Dish flavor atlas,” profile version 2026-10-10, schema version 1, palytt.com/food-matches#flavor-atlas.
Good to know
What is a food match?
A food match is a dish you have not tried that shares the flavor profile of one you already love. If you like tonkotsu ramen, rich and savory dishes like carbonara or birria tacos are likely to land too.
How do I find dishes similar to one I like?
Start from a dish you love and look for the same core traits (richness, heat, tang, smoke or crunch) in a different cuisine or format. Pick one dish below to see its six closest matches, or pick up to three favorites to get a combined list.
Are these match scores personal?
No. These editorial scores compare flavor profiles between dishes and are the same for everyone. They are separate from Palytt’s restaurant Order Guides. The taste quiz alone does not calculate a personal dish score, and friends’ ratings are separate context when available.
How is this different from restaurant reviews?
Reviews rate a restaurant for everyone. Food matches start from what you already like and point you at a dish, so you know what to order rather than just where to go.
Can I download the dish flavor ratings?
Yes. The food matches hub offers CSV and JSON files with Palytt’s editorial 0–5 ratings for 60 dishes across eight flavor traits, along with the method and limitations. They are general dish comparisons, not personal app match scores.
Explore restaurant dishes by taste.
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