I grew up with an innate curiosity about food, so reading about ambrosia of the Greek gods or mead swilled by Robin Hood made me wonder what such legendary nectars might taste like.

The earliest evidence of a meadlike brew dates to 7000 B.C., discovered in northern China. Enough people are curious about this ancient honey wine that mead has returned to the modern table.

Local brewer Brian Paisley opened Paisley Meadery in 2015 to offer tastings of his product, and recently began offering lunch and dinner service at his new Chinatown storefront location to help introduce diners to the idea of swapping out wine for pairing mead with food. The sparkling honey wine is so smooth and easy to drink it’s hard to imagine a band of merry men imbibing something so feminine and chic.

In the process, Paisley has added a couple of dishes to the food vernacular, having come up with the Phoco and Phorrito — pronounced “fawco” and “faw-rito” — adding a Vietnamese pho twist to a couple of Mexican favorites.

The Phoco ($11) is his best dish, a corn tortilla filled with tender beef brisket and “Viet” de Gallo with fish sauce and Sriracha. The Phorrito ($10) is also tasty, but pho in a burrito format can be a bit too liquidy to manage.

The menu is a work in progress, but you’ll find themes such as Taco Tuesdays, South in Your Mouth Wednesdays (BBQ brisket, pulled pork or shredded chicken) and Phoco Fridays. It’s best to check out @paisleymeadery­_ on Instagram or call ahead to find out what is being offered at this essentially one-man operation.

Paisley Meadery is at 35 N. King St. Call 673-5263.