DINING AROUND With Marilyn August 30, 2006

Located in the beautiful Galleria Factory in Red Bank, The Melting Pot is a creative fun restaurant for lovers or the entire family!   A fondue restaurant with a menu that is sure to please every one.  We opted for the Big Night Out.  The complete fondue experience is best served in four courses.  They include creations by their chef that are available for a limited time or create your own four course experience. 

We started off with the traditional Swiss Fondue, Gruyere and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses, white wine and garlic, nutmeg, lemon and Kirschwasser.  This scrumptious, creamy fondue comes with granny apples fantastic with the Swiss cheeses, carrots, celery and an assortment of breads cut into cubes.  You can’t help but have a good time dipping and tasting all the delicious flavors.  Plus it makes for great conversation!

Mind you this is all done at your table with a hot plate built into the table, the pewter “melting Pot” is placed on top and you just dip away into all these homemade sauces, all the way up to the dessert fondue with a tray of goodies, but I’ll save that for last!

Next course was the salad.  Whoa!!!  I can honestly say I have never had a salad this incredible!  Strawberry Almond; Fresh strawberries, toasted almonds, feta cheese and chopped field greens tossed in light basil-infused balsamic vinaigrette.  I highly recommend this.  We all went for this one, but they had another choice of; Grand Queso, a blend of Fontiago and Grand Queso cheeses with chorizo, chimichurri and a hint of chipotle.  Sounded very delicious. 

Then we moved onto the featured entrée’ selection.  There are two choices in the Big Night Out dinner.  Lobster Indulgence:  Twin Lobster tails, teriyaki sirloin, black tiger shrimp, citrus marinated port tenderloin and roasted vegetable ravioli. 
We went with the Fondue Feast; Two filet mignon medallions, teriyaki sirloin, black tiger shrimp, citrus marinated pork tenderloin breast of chicken and roasted vegetable ravioli.  After you make your choice you need to choose your cooking style.  The Coq au Vin is delicious.  Fresh flavors of herbs, mushrooms, garlic, spices and burgundy wine.  Throw all the vegetables into the pot and let them simmer in the juices and start cooking your meal.  A timer is available to you to check your cooking time.  They also offer a homemade seasoned vegetable broth, a Bourguignonne, European style fondue made cholesterol free and a Moro Style with a Caribbean flair. 

The prices on the menu are diverse, and very reasonable.  The Big Night is $96.00 for the Lobster Indulgence and $88.00 for the Fondue, based on two people.  But as I said you can easily share this with four people, and it is an extra $7.00 per person for the salad.  If you do the math that’s $28.00 per person!!! 
You don’t have to do the all inclusive they have five other cheese fondues for $16.00 for two and $8.00 per person.  They also offer entrée’s for two, which is a three courses, Pacific Rim $64.00 per couple, Surf & Turf with Portobello mushrooms, market price and their signature selection with steak, chicken and fresh fish.  And for the non-fon-duooers they have individual entrees starting from $18.00 to $28.00. 

To go with all this delectable cheese and food you’ll be very impressed by their wine list.  They have a wine room that is not only part of the beautiful decor, a blend of Frank Lloyd Wright with Art Deco retro factory; it holds 2000 bottles of wine!!  They have quite an extensive, impressive and very global wine list.  I found their list to be quite reasonably priced as well.  Beringer Estates white Zinfandel is a very nice wine: $9.00 for the bottle!  They also have the Stags Leap Cabernet Fay Estate for $125.00, but the average price per bottle is
$26.00 to $45.00.  Wines by the glass, $6.00 to $10.00

Now dessert!!  There are nine different chocolate fondues.  They say the Melting Pot Experience is not complete with out one!  We unanimously went with the Flaming Turtle; Milk Chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans, flambéed tableside.  Oh my!!  We all went “ooohhh” as our server was mixing all the ingredients if front of us.  The Dippers: Fresh strawberries, bananas and pineapple, plus cheesecake, coconut covered marshmallows, pound cake and brownies.  All fresh and decadent!!! 

I have to mention our server Jennie, she was fantastic.  The serving staff goes through extensive two week training before they can serve tables.  There is a lot of preparation, plus just the art of blending the fondues takes practice.  She took her time with us, no rush just a very casual relaxing dining experience.  

All seating is in booths that are beautiful in design and very private.  There is one seating section named “Lover’s Lane”.  They also have a private room for parties. 

The Melting Pot opened it first restaurant in 1975 in Maitland FL.  It had four tables and a limited menu consisting of cheese and beer fondue.  There are now 100 locations!  To read more about their impressive history or find out about the wine dinners & tastings go to their website: redbankmeltingpot.com.