This series belongs firmly into the "beloved messes" category of media I've consumed - it has some glaring flaws but it also does a lot of things so very right, on top of being damn charming and earnest.
I'm a huge fan of food-centered romances in general so I might be a bit biased, but I strongly believe there is a lot more to enjoy about this show than people are giving it credit for.
The editing, visuals, music, and acting are all incredibly solid and the writing is, for the most part, genuinely excellent.
All the characters feel like fully realised three-dimensional human beings and their struggles and emotions are understandable and relatable.
Mahiro's defensiveness and general distaste towards confronting things head-on are almost painfully realistic and his internal struggle and frustration with himself over his shortcomings will likely hit very close to home for a lot of viewers. He's used to preemptively shielding himself from rejection so when his unrequited attraction suddenly turns out to be returned he has absolutely no idea what to do with himself and freezes every time he wants to openly communicate his feelings. How do you deal with suddenly getting what you want when you weren't prepared for it to ever happen?
Souta, on the other hand, has no such problem; he speaks his mind freely and clearly and is actually a pretty good communicator. It just often takes him a while to fully understand his own feelings which, combined with his inexperience, naturally leads to clashes with skittish Mahiro, who isn't interested in being nothing but a convenient opportunity for Souta to experiment with his sexuality.
Over the course of the show these two go through a lot of conflict and misunderstandings which, in a pleasant twist of fate, serve to further plot and character development rather than to string out the story longer than necessary.

Another strong point of the series is its respect and care for its queer characters. Souta's character arc in particular is incredibly well-written, satisfying to watch, and a fairly accurate depiction of discovering and coming to terms with one's sexuality. It's also a very gentle rumination of self-determination vs conforming to expectations and the many different shapes happiness and satisfaction can take, which I personally absolutely love.
Hao Shan is another stand-out character who adds a lot of humour as well as depth to the story.
Specific descriptors like "gay" or "bisexual" may not be mentioned (as is the case with a lot of queer Asian dramas, unfortunately) but the topic of sexuality and identity is explored much more thoroughly and carefully than it is in many similar shows, which is very much a step in the right direction in my opinion.

Unfortunately the writers also make some big missteps which muddle the story and slightly mess up the pacing at times.
The whole sleeping kiss cliche is a good example. At least it's openly addressed and does drive the plot significantly, but it still feels gross and unneeded.
Komachi's role is similarly dissatisfying, in that her story starts off strong but then goes downhill at the end, and certain things, such as the slap, just hugely detract from my enjoyment of her, no matter how important she is to the story.
Likewise the inclusion of Kosuke during the last two episodes just feels unnecessary and adds a weird element to the get-together scene. Don't get me wrong, I don't think a grand gesture or dramatic confession was needed here, but this strange combination of possessiveness and lack of clear communication feels some-what anticlimactic especially considering how much of the story revolves around the importance of honesty and openness in relationships, and the characters growing as people and learning to convey their wants and needs to one another.
The last two episodes are generally a little all over the place, although they do have some great moments and end on a very satisfying note. Personally I found these annoyances tolerable when weighed against the high quality of the rest of the story, though your mileage may very much vary.

All in all, I consider this show well worth your time despite its issues and if you're a fan of tame slow-burn romances with lots of genuine emotion and depth then you'll find a lot to love here.
This may not be the off-beat, raunchy romp the description suggested it might be, but it is an absolute diamond in the rough with a lot of charm, heart, and interesting things to say - and I think it can and should be appreciated just as it is.