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’ve eaten there once, a long time ago, and I love love LOVED the entree. The meat and veggies were delicious!
Definitely the cheese! The chocolate comes in a very close second.
I’d have to go with the cheese course since it sets the stage for the rest if the meal!!
Bring on the cheese!! 🙂 The bf and I are certified cheese-a-holics and gift card or not, I see a visit to the Melting Pot in our near future!
I would look forward to the cheese course!! Yumm!! Looks and sounds delish!
The cheese course by far!!
I’m glad you enjoyed The Melting Pot! I used to work there and it was almost more fun to work there because you got to make everything! My favorite course was always the cheese because I’m from Wisconsin and can’t get enough cheese. If you ever go back, definitely try the Fiesta cheese. It’s cheddar with beer and salsa and jalapenos. You get to customize it by telling them how many jalapenos you want (I always dumped the whole ramekin in!) and then they bring you chips to dip in it too! SO good!
I love all the fondue courses, but the chocolate is always my favorite!
I would go for the cheese fondue for sure! My girlfriends and I would love to use the gift card one weekend! I think I’d go for one of my long runs before enjoying it though 😉
Definitely the cheese:)
Chocolate! I’ve ever been to the Melting Pot (or any similar restaurants) before, and I think it sounds like a great change-up for date night.
I’ve had the chocolate, and it was amazing! I’d love to try the cheese!
I am a cheese before chocolate kind of girl!! (: Looks absolutely delicious!
I’m all about the cheese and apples together! I just had fondue for the first time on NYE and it was so good! I can’t wait to try it again.
I would definitely look forward to the chocolate! That is the best part of the meal! 🙂
Definitely the chocolate dessert course!
OMG I am so glad you and Ryan had a wonderful date night! But I would have to say I would look forward to the dessert course. My favorite is definitely the “s’more” chocolate dish with melted marshmallow and graham gracker toppings. Soooo good!
I LOVE The Melting Pot! It’s one of my favorite anniversary places. So if I get lucky with this, I’ll be treating the boy to some cheese fondue on the 22nd. 🙂
Chocolate for sure!!
Cheese! Omg, cheese!
It would be a tie between the cheese and chocolate, I just can’t pick! I love both equally =)
The Cheese and the Chocolate!!! I rarely order an entree! I just love the appetizers and dessert! Thanks for the giveaway!
Gruyere and white wine cheese fondue is my fav!!! But you can’t go wrong with strawberries dipped in melty dark chocolate!!!
I love The Melting Pot….my favorite is the cheese!
I totally have a sweet tooth, so the chocolate pot would be the one I would forward to the most 🙂
The chocolate portion of course!
My fav is the cheese!!! I crave it just thinking about it 🙂
The cheese fondue sounds amazing!
Cheese!!! I’m all for sweets, but I absolutely love my dairy products.
I am a sucker for dessert – is there really anything else?
My husband and I went to a Melting Pot while on vacation once and did not have a clue what we were doing or what to order. Needless to say….we left with that “let-down” feeling. We would love to try it again and have the opportunity to have a do-over! Thinking we would try what you and Ryan had because it looked absolutely delish!
The chocolate for sure! The bananas foster is fabulous. My husband and I are crazy for bananas…add some chocolate and we can’t get enough!
It’s kind of a toss up for me… Cheese and chocolate are 2 of my favorite things!
The cheese! It looks so good!
I have never been to The Melting Pot. I would love to try the cheese fondue!
The cheese course, of course! And with a gift card it would be the perfect excuse for a girl’s night! 🙂
Definitely the chocolate!!
What a fun date night! I have actually never been to The Melting Pot, even after living in Orlando my entire life! I am most looking forward to the chocolate dessert course. It sounds AWESOME!
I want to go to the Melting Pot sooooo bad!! My husband is not so sure!! Would live to try the new “skinny menu”!!!
Of course I would look forward to the chocolate course, the desserts look amazing!!! I am glad the melting pot is coming up with a skinny menu, I am curious to know what the skinny cheese options looked like>!?
That whole meal looks awesome but those shrimp were calling my name. I want that course!!!
It all looks delicious, but I think I would look forward to the cheese the most!
Cheese + bread = a winning combo every.single.time!
The cheese fondue– as a recently discovered celiac, I love that they had a whole gluten-free menu!
I would most look forward to ordering the entree! The only time I have been to the melting pot was in college and I couldn’t afford to order an entree. Haha. Also the dessert looks amazing!
my husband and i went there once to celebrate both of our birthdays and his college graduation (after 10 long years!)….we loved all the courses..but cheese and chocolate were a toss-up for favorites!
Everything looks delicious, but I would love to try out the cheese fondue!
No question: dessert!
I would absolutely enjoy the cheese course the most! The bacon Brie and apples sounds delic.
I would love to try the chocolate! They all look so delicious!