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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For sure the chocolate! Yum!
Dessert, for sure!!
Hard to choose between entree (curry sauce!) and dessert! Chocolate has to be the winner though.
Fun date night :). I love the cheese and chocolate fondue 🙂
I love chocolate fondue, but I’ve never tried cheese fondue! I’m sure I’d love it, too. What a fun date night!
Thanks for the date night idea. Sounds fun. The entire meal looks wonderful, especially the Chocolate dessert. Love the options for dipping!
I love fondue! As much as I love chocolate, I probably love the cheese course more. I just love hot, melted cheese,
The chocolate course. So amazing! Love The Melting Pot. I haven’t seen that caramel version before. Yum!
No doubt about it, the chocolate course would be my favorite!!
I look forward to the cheese- I love brie!
I have always wanted to eat at Melting pot!! I would love to try the cheese and dessert!! Is it still under 700 calories if you do two cheese apps and 2 desserts?!? lol
Hmmm…I think the cheese, but they all look delicious!
Cheese! I recently fell in love with Brie! Yum yum!
I have never been to the melting pot yet, but would love to try their cheese fondue!!
Melting Pot will always hold a special place in our hearts, since it was a part of our engagement night! Going back, we would def do a dessert fondue, although all three are fantastic!
I’m usually a sweet tooth girl, but that melty cheese gets me every time. I’m all about the cheese course!
chocolate!!!! without.a.doubt!
I have a massive sweet tooth, so its all about the chocolate for me!
Easiest decision I’ll ever have to make, the chocolate! Of course!
My favorite is always the chocolate course… it always feels like the smallest amount too. My hubby and I went to the Melting pot for our last two anniversaries 🙂
I would love that cheese…sounds amazing!
cheese, cheese and more cheese…my love
Chocolate fondue is always the best part! A dark chocolate fondue sounds amazing!
mmmm the chocolate!!! We have a melting pot that opened here in my town like 2 years ago, and i’ve been DYING to go try it!! this would be a perfect time to jump in!
I’ve never been to the melting pot and have always wanted to do the cheese fondue!
Would love to try the Chocolate fondue!!
Cheese fondue with lots of apples. Great combination!
My hubby and I have never been to the melting pot. We’ve thought abt it a few times but always have had the kids with us when we were out and about. This restaurant would be a wonderful date night!! I’m intrigued by the cheese and entree the most!
Definitely the chocolate! Yummy!
Chocolate or cheese!? This is such a difficult decision. Usually, I would probably choose chocolate, but at this very moment in time, I’m really into the idea of cheese. Brie’s one of my fav’s!
Chocolate!
I would look forward to the actual dinner portion because I’ve never had it there before!! Looks delicious!
I love the melting pot! That is a hard decision between cheese and chocolate for me, but I have to go with the cheese.
Cheese cheese cheese!!!!
Chocolate! Chocolate! Most definitely the CHOCOLATE 🙂
It is a tough choice between the cheese and the chocolate, but I think the chocolate would win! In the past when my boyfriend and I have gone out for fondue, we just do the cheese and chocolate courses…It is usually more than enough to fill us up!
I would love that Brie and bacon one!
I have wanted to try The Melting Pot forever! If I win I will enjoy every course but dessert will be a special treat as I don’t often do dessert. Thanks for having the drawing… fingers and toes crossed!
Mmmmm…the cheese course. I love cheese.
I would definitely be most excited about the cheese course! The brie and bacon combo in thte picture looks fabulous… but if I went I would definitely have to sample all three courses 🙂
I would most enjoy the dessert. I never order dessert when I go out to eat so it would be a yummy special treat. I’m also most excited they have a skinny dipping menu! sounds delicious!!!!
Chocolate Fondue!!!
dessert! they have a chocolate turtle dipping sauce that is absolutely fantastic!
I’d most be looking forward to the dessert!! What an awesome giveaway
Definitely dessert! mmm chocolate.
Most definitely the cheese!
Chocolate. The answer is always chocolate!
I would love to try the cheese. I’ve been there once for dessert, and it was yummy!
Definitely the dessert. The white chocolate caramel sounds amazing!
Cheese, please. But, definitely followed by luscious dessert. Although I’m not familiar with this restaurant, it’s great to discover there is one in the Bluegrass.