As a further elaboration: growing up, I absolutely hated pasta salad. I could not and would not eat it. But one day, when I was about 22-23, I was working somewhere that includes meals, since shifts were literally all day for a week (save eight hours for sleeping). The cook made a pasta salad that I could only describe as “orgasmic.” I ate that same pasta salad for every meal for the next two days until they finally tossed the leftovers. Ever since then, I have been “converted” to enjoy pasta salad. That one dish completely changed how my body reacts to a food that I already tried several times.
Recently, oysters and Indian food!
Always thought oysters were saltboogers, then a seafood bar opened down the street and the owners insisted I try a few on the house when I was drinking one evening. It was perfection of salt and sea. Now one of my favorite drunk foods!
Also, I’ve been hesitant of Indian food since I sampled the “cooking” of an Indian roommate a buddy used to have. Last year, a buddy brought me to an Indian place for my birthday after a night out, and we split a tikka masala. I’ve been back a dozen times since, and might have some Indian food for lunch soon.