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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Definitely the cheese course!!
I’ve been there once and I can’t wait go back <3 <3 Dessert…
Love the Melting Pot! As a huge, and I mean huuuuge cheese lover, I’d definitely so I’m most psyched for the cheese portion of the meal!
The cheese, for sure!!! 🙂
the CHEESE course! will you be updating your fashion page on your outfit and handbag?! love it! 🙂
This is an awesome giveaway! The cheese and dessert courses are always my favorite.
Oh my gosh chocolate fondue all the way!!
The cheese! Mmm I love me some cheese. There is a Melting Pot not too far away from me in Tallahassee. Thanks! Happy New Year!
Mmmm. The cheese fondue looks amazing!!
I’m lactose intolerant but still would look forward to the cheese course the most! 😉
I am dying to try the white chocolate! Your pictures made it look looked divine! 🙂
I look forward to the chocolate!
That looks like a great date night!! I would look forward to dessert the most!!!
definitely the cheese!
Love this giveaway!! the cheese course would def my favorite! i put cheese on everything! haha
How funny a girlfriend and I have been planning a date for Melting Pot that we have to keep rescheduling. She’s never been so I keep trying to explain the magic delicousness she’s in store for! I think I could just eat their chocolate all day!
I LOVE the Melting Pot!!!! My fave would be the chocolate!!!!:-)
The chocolate, of course!
I love going to Melting Pot for my 2 favorite food groups: “cheese and chocolate” :). But that white chocolate creme brulee fondue would definitely convince me to skip the cheese and go straight to chocolate!
I LOVE The Melting Pot!!
And while I love me some dessert, I’d say the cheese would be what I’m most wanting to eat!
Mmm! Definitely the cheese fondue!
My family has a tradition of fondue-ing for special events; we love fondue!
I can’t believe the dessert lover in me is saying this, but I can’t wait to try the entree course again! I went to a Melting Pot for the first time a few months ago with my in-laws, and fell in love HARD for the sushi grade tuna cooked in broth. YUM! 🙂
Cheese for me 🙂
Oooh, while I absolutely *love* creme brulee (and white chocolate!) I’d look forward to the cheese course most. Yum!
I would love to be able to treat myself to part of the chocolate fondue after completing this round of Best Body Bootcamp!
The cheese sounds amazing
All of the above! But if I had to choose, I would say the dessert. I am a huuuge chocolate fan!
I would use every bit of the gift certificate on dessert/chocolate fondue. I’ve been craving it ever since I found out I was pregnant and haven’t gotten it yet.
The creme brûlée white chocolate fondue sounds simply amazing!
I don’t know how to pick, I first think cheese but the entree looked good and dessert even better! I guess we will have time to decide as we drive there!
I’ve always wanted to go to the melting pot but I never had the opportunity!
I have only been to The Melting Pot once, but the cheese course was my favorite by far!
I would most look forward to the cheese course!!! All I need is cheese and bread adn then dessert.
I am so glad you shared this experience. I have been wanting to try out this restaurant. Thanks for the opportunity to win the gift card,
I would have to say the cheese fondue for sure. My husband and I love anything and everything cheese.
Oh I would be loving and dreaming of the chocolate course !
LOVE the melting pot! A hard choice but I think I would go with the chocolate!!!
Would it be horrible if I said my favorite course is the drinks … Especially the ying/yang drink … So yummy :). My second favorite is the chocolate 🙂
OMG I LOVE the Melting Pot. I love how it turns your date into a whole event. The cheese is my favorite… while I love sweets, I definitely am a sucker for savory, especially cheese!!
Have always wanted to try The Melting Pot, but seems pricey for us! Tough choice between the cheese and the chocolate, but today I would be most excited about the CHEESE!!!!
Mmmmm… The chocolate of course! 😀
The cheese hands down is the best part. I am not a huge cheese fan normally but can never get enough of melting pots various cheese courses!
Cheese course all the way!
The cheese! Yum!
Never been to The Melting Pot. Would love to try the cheese fondu. Everything looks delish!
Yummmmm….the chocolate!
Definitely cheese! Looks so good!
I love, love, love the Melting Pot! My favorite course is by far the chocolate fondue! Yum 🙂
I am definitely looking forward to the chocolate fondue! I can’t live without chocolate as part of my diet! 🙂
I’m not sure much can beat a cheese fondue!! Yummy : )
Tough call…I always love the cheese and chocolate, but I’ve never had an entree fondue experience, so I think that one!
I have never had fondue so I would love to try both, but I would have to choose chocolate over c cheese!