Taste was a sense, generally perceived by one's taste buds. One who tasted food for another was called a test taster. It could also refer to one's preference in other things, such as decor or friendships.
When Travis Mayweather warned Matthew Ryan about the resequenced meatloaf aboard Enterprise NX-01, Ryan seemed confused and said his steak tastes real. Mayweather then told him it was. (ENT: "Fortunate Son")
In 2267, Leonard McCoy criticized Trelane's simulated food, saying it had no taste. Spock found that unsurprising, given as Trelane only knew how Human foods were supposed to look, having studied it from afar but having never tasted it. (TOS: "The Squire of Gothos")