Ryan and I went out on a fondue date last night!
Our first date night of 2013 took us to The Melting Pot in downtown Ocala.
Downtown Ocala is still decorated for the holidays, so we had fun walking around the square before dinner and taking in the holiday sights before they’re put away until next year.
Once we meandered over to the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the hostess and escorted to a cozy booth.
Drinks!
Tipsy Turtle + Blackberry Bourbon Bramble
Ryan and I planned our date night after I received a press release from The Melting Pot inviting me to try some of the dishes on the restaurant’s new Skinny Dipping menu. The Skinny Dipping menu features three courses – a salad, fondue entrée and dark chocolate fondue dessert – for less than 700 calories. I selected a salad and entrée off the Skinny Dipping menu last night and loved both of my choices! (I veered off the Skinny Dipping menu for the cheese and chocolate fondue courses.)
Our meal began with the cheese fondue!
Ryan and I selected the special of the day which included a big pot of brie and bacon cheese fondue, served with bread, tart apple slices and fresh vegetables for dipping.
Oh cheese fondue, you are so fabulous!
Our waitress suggested placing a piece of bread and an apple slice on our fondue forks at the same time before dipping it into the cheese and the flavor combination was fantastic!
Salads were delivered to our table shortly after we finished the cheese course.
I ordered the spinach salad topped with baby Portobello mushrooms, red onion, chopped bacon, Roma tomatoes and a warm burgundy shallot vinaigrette. Though this salad came off the Skinny Dipping menu, it didn’t taste lightened up at all! The toppings were quite generous and the dressing was delicious.
When it came time to order our entrees, I decided to go for a combination of shrimp and teriyaki-marinated sirloin.
At first I thought the portion looked rather small, but as I started eating, I filled up fast. (I think I had a head start on filling my belly with the cheese course!)
Every entrée comes with fresh vegetables to cook in your fondue pot and I couldn’t get enough of the mushrooms! They were the best, especially when dipped in the various sauces.
Ryan and I both agreed that the five dipping sauces that came with our entrees added so much to our meal. My favorite two sauces were the teriyaki and the mild, yogurt-based curry sauce.
And then it was time for dessert! The shining star of any fondue experience!
It didn’t take much convincing from our waitress for us to order the crème brûlée white chocolate fondue for dessert.
Caramel shavings were sprinkled atop creamy white chocolate and set afire before we cracked the caramel coating with our fondue forks and dipping items.
I am normally not a huge white chocolate fan, but the caramel component of this fondue took it to another level. Ryan and I used our spoons to get every last bit of chocolate out of our fondue pot. Incredible!
And now here’s the really fun part!
One of YOU will win a $100 gift card to The Melting Pot to enjoy your own fantastic fondue experience! (To find a location near you, you can visit The Melting Pot’s Locations page.)
To enter this giveaway, please tell me what course you would look forward to enjoying the most if you won the gift card. Cheese? Chocolate? Entrée?
I will randomly select a winner on Tuesday.
Good luck!!!
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This post definitely had my mouth watering! I love the cheese fondue at the melting pot- it’s so filling and delicious! I’ve done fondue at home, but it just never tastes the same.
My husband and I just recently got married (December 31 wahoo!) and due to his job we have yet to celebrate! This would be the perfect way! We went to the melting pot on our anniversary last year and had no idea they had a white chocolate and caramel fondue! I’m a sucker for anything white chocolate so that’s the thing I am most looking forward to. My husband would love the salad!
I would select the cheese fondue!! It looks delicious! 🙂
Chocolate! Totally chocolate! Followed closely by the cheese!
The cheese course is always the best!
It’s so hard to choose between the chocolate and the cheese, but I think I have to go with the cheese. Yummy!
This chocoholic would definitely love the dessert course the most! But I’m sure I’d love the other courses as well 🙂 What a great date night for you two!
That chocolate course!
I’m a dessert girl through and through! My sweet tooth is the size of this universe.
Dessert of course! Oh my gosh this place looks amazing and so fun!
Can’t get enough of the cheese! My hubby and I love to go there for special occasions – will have to remember your apple and bread dipping combo next time! 😉
i have always wanted to go here! their vegetarian entree sounds so good!
The melting pot is my favorite! I used to goto the maitland location often. My favorite Cousteau is the dessert closely followed by the cheese!
chocolate chocolate!
Cheese!
Definitely the cheese! Soooo good!
I’ve never had fondue before but I have always wanted to try it. I think I would enjoy the chocolate the best… my sweet tooth always wins 🙂
Amazing! Cheese, cheese, cheese – all the way!
I’ve been to Melting Pot twice and absolutely love the dessert course! I could go there JUST for that lol. Although, the cheese course is a VERY close second!! Glad you guys enjoyed your Melting Pot experience!
I’m all about the chocolate!! Our anniversary is coming up and I think the melting pot would make a great place to celebrate!! YUM!
Ohh I would have to say the cheese in honor of my high school days when I would spend my bumping Saturdays getting giddy off cheese fondue
without a doubt the dessert!! that white chocolate..i want!!
I would definitely pick the cheese course!!
I have never been to The Melting Pot, but would look forward to dessert….no question! I saw on the menu that their “original” dessert fondue is chocolate and peanut butter!! YUM
I would love to go to the Melting Pot with my mom and try it with her! I’ve never had fondue and think it would be a great meal and experience to share with some an amazing woman!
I grew up around fondue. It was always a special family meal or group dinner. But we only did the cheese & oil fondues at my house. I would LOVE to try a yummy chocolate fondue!!! (:
I would have to choose the chocolate!
Everything looks so delicious 🙂
I adore the Melting Pot and I am a cheese girl all the way. So good!
I would LOVE getting to try the cheese course! That brie and bacon cheese looked AMAZING!
Definitely the cheese course…I have never had cheese fondue!
Chocolate, obviously!
I think the dessert fondue would be absolutely delicious! I’ve never actually had fondue but your pictures have me dying to try it!! Thanks Julie!
I am a sucker for the cheese course!
Definitely cheese!!! Went to melting lot once and it was amazing, been wanting to go back!
I’m definitely a cheese lover!
Is it even a question? Chocolate!
All of the courses sound amazing but Brie is one of my most favorite appetizers, so I would have to say I would be most excited for the cheese course!
I would LOVE Brie and bacon cheese fondue! That sounds heavenly. We have never been to the melting pot and would love to try it!
The dark chocolate fondue looks amazing!
The chocolate. Definitely the chocolate!!
I would most look forward to the cheese course for sure!!!
Definitely the dessert course! I’ve always wanted to go – looks amazing!
Cheese…dessert…cheese….dessert!! Oh my, so hard to choose between the two. Both are fantastic!
You can’t possibly expect me to pick just ONE can you?! 🙂 Im sure they are all amazing…but for me its a tie… I couldn’t possibly favor one over the other—so I would have to say the cheese and the chocolate! Perfect combo if you ask me!! Salty and savory in the beginning…and something sweet to top it off! I have been wanting to try Melting Pot but have never been…this would be a perfect way to try it!
Definitely the cheese fondue!!
I would love to try anything at The Melting Pot, but i think the chocolate portion would be the best! 😀
Cheese! Duh I’m a girl! Hope you have a great rest of the weekend!
The chocolate course! Definitely!
i went there once and the graham cracker covered marshmallows were my favorite! i want more (;
I don’t have to chose Just ONE, right? That’s impossible, because if I go there, I’m throwing it all down! 🙂