Rave Review for the Melting Pot

Last night Rich took me on a "hot date" to the Melting Pot in Old Town Pasadena. Drew gave us a generous gift card to the place for Christmas, and we have been eager to use it. So, when we discovered the kids had plans for the evening, we didn't hesitate to make plans to go!

We had been there a couple of years ago with our friends, the Hoffmans, the night before they packed up their house, their 7 kids and dog and drove to Nashville to live. We talked for hours late at night over pots of cheese fondue and chocolate fondue. It was such a fun time, I knew I would love to come back someday for the full dinner experience.

First of all, I just love the vibe of this place. It is upstairs, very elegant and dark, kind of like a nice steak house but more hip. It feels very festive and special. We were seated by a wall of windows overlooking Colorado Blvd. I felt kind of like I was in New York.

We ordered one of the four course dinners for two. It started with a cheese fondue of our choice, which came with a bowls full of assorted bread, veggie, and green apple chunks. The apples were especially delicious. They put a pot atop an electric burner that is built into the table, and assemble your fondue right at the table. Our server mixed in several different cheeses ("butter" cheese, fontina, and blue), along with white wine and some green onions. We quickly mopped up every drop of cheese, it was so good!

I had to steal this photo off the internet, as I forgot my camera! (We don't drink wine.)

Next, we had our choice of salads -Rich had the Cobb and I had spinach. As much as I love salad, I was eager for the entree and would have gladly skipped that step! After we dutifully ate our greens, the main event arrived. It was so cool - a platter full of assorted chunks of raw meats and seafood. We had marinated pork, marinated chicken, filet mignon, salmon, shrimp, a lobster tail, and fresh cheese ravioli. They gave us a bowl filled with potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms as well. The cooking liquid is not oil, but a flavorful broth of your choice. We chose "coq au vin" which was a red wine/broth mixture flavored with garlic and shallots. Each item only took a minute or two to cook in the boiling broth. They also provided a broad selection of delicious sauces to dip everything in. It was such a feast for the eyes and tastebuds with so many options before us. We thoroughly enjoyed everything!

Then, for the grand finale....chocolate fondue! We chose "yin & yang" which was half dark chocolate swirled with white chocolate. Mmm, is all I can say. SO good. The dippers for this amazing dessert came on an artfully arranged platter which included a slice of cheesecake, chunks of pound cake and brownies, two kinds of amazing marshmallows - a regular marshmallow that was dipped in coconut and the other a chocolate marshmallow dipped in oreo crumbs (my favorite), little cubes of Rice Krispie treats, and fresh banana slices and strawberries. That all quickly disappeared too.

It was such a great dining experience! Everything was a surprise and so fun to eat. Our server did a great job helping us make our choices for everything and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this place if you have an anniversary or special occasion coming up. It would also be fun to go with a group of girlfriends! The food is delicious and the experience is one you won't forget.