What does “How do you like it?” mean in this context?

Question

A friend of mine, who was born, raised, and still lives on Long Island, had asked me How do you like it? when I ate something she prepared. I always replied I like it. or It's very good. as if the question were Do you like it?

Is that what I was asked, or is How do you like it? different from Do you like it? or Do you enjoy it? in this context?

I am asking because, in Italian, we would ask the equivalent of Do you like it? The equivalent of How do you like it? wouldn't be an usual question, as we also tend to answer I like it very much. to Do you like it? when we like it very much.

Answer 1

It is functionally the same as "Do you like it?", except it is more converstional.

Saying "Do you like it?" can be replied with "Yes", which is ends the conversation. But you can't answer "Yes" to "How do you like it?" You are expected to say a bit more: "I like it very much." or "I like the carrots, but the sauce is too salty for me". Saying "How do you like it?" is intended to start the conversation, not end it.