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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I would love to try the cheese, but it all looks divine!
I would love to try the cheese, but it all looks divine!!
I would love the cheese fondue. YUM
I’ve always wanted to try Melting Pot, it would be a great date night! I look forward most to trying the cheese pot!
The cheese and the chocolate!!!!
The entree would be fun to try!
Definitely the chocolate fondue! White chocolate mixed with milk is great!
Woo!!! I’m actually planning to go here soon for my anniversary. I’m really wanting to try that bacon and brie cheese!!! Yuum. Would love to have it paid for, lol.
The chocolate course! Marshmallows, strawberries, and bananas dipped in any of their chocolate fondues – heavenly!!!
Easily the cheese. That brie and bacon combination sounds to die for!
Man this is a hard one between the cheese and the chocolate. I think I would go with the cheese though. I love melty cheese!
In my mind, nothing beats chocolate fondue!
I love The Melting Pot! This looks like a fabulous date night. I would choose the dessert fondue for sure!
There’s a Melting Pot about two blocks from my house. I’d love to try it (especially the cheese course)!
The chocolate part of course! I’m hoping to go to melting pot with my husband for a special birthday dinner this year! I’m keeping my fingers crossed! 🙂
I have never had fondue!! I would have to try everything!!
I’ve been to the Melting Pot a few times (and actually had one of my bridal showers there), but if I won the gift card, I’d most look forward to treating my husband to a date night after we have our baby next month! All the courses are AMAZING, but I love the cheese – what can I say, I’m a Wisconsin girl at heart!! 🙂
My husband and I LOVE The Melting Pot! We’ve never had white chocolate fondue, so we definitely have to try that. It sounds amazing!
chocolate!!
Hands down the cheese!!
CHEESE!!! hot, melty yumminess!
I’m 6 months pregnant. I’ll enjoy every course!
They all sound SOO good, but I would go with chocolate! YUMMO!
Definitely the chocolate! YUM!
Oh my goodness! I love the cheese course at The Melting Pot!! It’s definitely my favorite course!!
Cheese and colors. I could survive in those alone.
I absolutely LOVE The Melting Pot. I definitely look forward to the chocolate/dessert course. Yum! Glad you guys had a great time.
cheese! looks delicious!
The dessert looks amazing but lets be real the cheese sounds awesome!
I want to try the entree course! (0:
The CHEESE!!!! It all looks fantastic!
I would be all about the cheese! I’ve never been to a melting pot I’d love to try it out!
Chocolate course. Absolutely no question!!
Some of our best dates have been at The Melting Pot. Oh, that chocolate! No words!
Bring on the Chocolate fondue with peanut butter swirl…… x 3 please!
That would be my appetizer, entree & dessert choice. Seriously – I couldn’t pass up the Cheddar Cheese fondue.
the cheese!
Is this seriously a question?! THE CHOCOLATE!!!
The Chocolate S’mores sounds SO yummy!!
chocolate!!! any form im a huge chocoaholic
It’s so hard for me to pick but I have to go with cheese & chocolate as a close 2nd!
My favorite is definitely the dessert, although you can’t go wrong with any of the other options either! Really cheese, salad, meet and chocolate? What more could a girl ask for?
I would look most forward to the cheese, but my husband is a chocolate lover!
CHEESE! That salad looks amazing though as well.
I would most look forward to chocolate!! I am in love with chocolate and the dipping fondue looks amazing!!!
The Brie and bacon app sounds amazing!
The Brie sounds amazing!! I could easily fill up on that!!
I would for sure be most excited for the desert. I have a major sweet tooth, and your pick looked amazing!
Decisions, decisions…I think if I had to choose one it would have to be CHOCOLATE!!! I’ve always wanted to try a fondue restaurant and you made it look so delicious 🙂
Tough pick….I’ll actually say entree just b/c I’ve only had entree-selection fondue once and would love to try it again (I’d prob pick the Veggie meal but it wouldn’t end up nearly as healthy as that sounds!)
Definitely chocolate! I have never been to the Melting Pot before but your blog post makes me want to run there right now! Yum!
DEFINITELY the chocolate fondue course! Yum