The One Thing I Don't Hate About You

Alice has nothing but disdain for Bob and all that he stands for. Well, almost everything. In spite of herself, Alice can't help but admire one attribute of Bob's. Not an important attribute, mind, but something completely irrelevant: Bob is morally bankrupt and a complete ignoramus, but he has great taste in shoes. And he cooks the best chili you've ever tasted.

Compare with Worthy Opponent, Actually Pretty Funny, and Bad News, Irrelevant News.

Not to be confused with Ten Things I Hate About You.

Examples of The One Thing I Don't Hate About You include:

Anime and Manga

In the second season of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, even Judai can't help but compliment Saiou for managing a "Zero Turn Kill" (which is winning a duel without even getting a turn) against Prince Orgene.
- He also thinks Napolean's Toy Soldier monsters are kinda cute, even though Napoleon is trying to have the Osiris dorm torn down.

Film

From The Spy Who Loved Me:

Bond: Mmm, maybe I misjudged Stromberg. Any man who drinks Dom Perignon '52 can't be all bad.

Zoolander: Every time Mugatu mentions Hansel in a conversation, he immediately adds "He's so hot right now," to the extent that it borders on a Verbal Tic. This continues even after Hansel has joined the protagonists in exposing the Ancient Conspiracy that Mugatu works for.

Mugatu: It's that damned Hansel! He's so hot right now!

Batman (1989). The Joker makes a TV broadcast to Gotham City.

Joker: Now you fellows have said some pretty mean things, some of which were true under that fiend, Boss Grissom. He was a thief and a terrorist. On the other hand, he had a tremendous singing voice.

In Out Cold the characters comment that the new company that's taking over the ski resort is "ruining our town" but their coffee shop sells delicious beverages.
In Doctor Strangelove Mandrake laments his mistreatment by the Japanese as a POW, but admits they make bloody good cameras.
From Top Secret:

Deja Vu: You've got to hand it to the Germans, they make great cars.

In Vertical Limit, the Pakistani military officer admits that despite the Indians being their mortal enemies, they make really good tea.
- Well he was a professional. Hatred is not necessary in his resume.
In UHF, the Engineered Public Confession of the Affiliate Owner ends with "But, there is one good thing about broadcasting to a town full of mindless sheep: I always know I have them exactly where I want them!"

Literature

In Book One of Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Ms. Plithiver thinks to herself that there is something very wrong with Kludd. He then coughs up a pellet and she reconsiders that no bird with such a noble digestive system could be completely bad. If only...
Harry Dresden of The Dresden Files hates local crimelord Gentleman John Marcone. On the other hand, he has to admit that whatever else you say about the guy, he's got "balls that drag along the ground when he walks".

Web Comics

Gunnerkrigg Court: Every time Magpie55 posts in City Face and City Face 2, he does nothing but insult City Face and pigeons in general. Then City Face starts doing the human businessman dance, and Magpie55 can only write "whoa he's actually pretty good at that..."
Bobwhite: Marlene and Ivy frequently make fun of Cleo for her awkwardness and her CloudCuckoolanderishness. Then they visit Cleo in her metal shop class and are briefly impressed.

Marlene: Wow. I will never make fun of her again.
Ivy: Yes you will.
Marlene: Yes I will.

Homestuck. Terezi confronts Vriska, who used to be a friend but has now gone too far and must be brought to justice (i.e. stabbity death).

Terezi: MUCH 4S 1T P41NS M3 TO 4DM1T 1T, YOUR FRUITY OR4NG3 F4IRY SU1T SM3LLS... D3L1C1OUS.

Western Animation

In The Simpsons episode "Colonel Homer", where Homer's new job as Lurleen Lumpkin's manager is driving him away from his family:

Marge: You've got a wonderful family, Homer. Please don't forget it when you walk out that door tonight.
[Homer leaves.]
Bart: Much as I hate that man right now, you gotta love that suit.

From South Park

Head of the FBI: Say what you want about Mel Gibson, but the son of a bitch knows story structure.

In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 , the one thing that the Turtles admire about the Foot is the Nice Hats worn by the Shredder's Elite Guard:

Raphael: Nice hats!
Michaelangelo: Yeah, we thought so, too.
Donatello: Say what you will about the Foot, but they do not skimp on the headgear.

In the 2012 version, Michelangelo's reaction to the prototype for Kurai's new Elite Mook androids:

Michelangelo: That thing is awesome! In an... evil sorta way.

From The Powerpuff Girls episode "Impeach Fuzz", the Mayor really gets angry at Fuzzy Lumpkins:

Mayor: FUZZY! You can throw away my things, and I don't mind the hay on the floor, and the chicken wire's a nice touch, and I kinda like that beat-up old flivver. But no one, I mean no one, wears my mayorin' hat! Now give it back!

Well, okay, that was two things, but as the rest of the episode showed, the hat was enough for him to take about 100 levels in badass and beat Fuzzy to a pulp.

Real Life

Many otherwise scathing in-depth reviews of the Twilight books will usually make a side-note that the plot of Eclipse and the new characters introduced are actually pretty good; this is quickly followed by the reviewer bemoaning the fact that the book never focused on the interesting parts, but rather spent page after page on Edward and Bella, the two least interesting characters. Similar comments are sometimes made about the werewolf pack scenes in Full Moon.