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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Chocolate all the way!
I’d look forward to the cheese fondue!
I LOVE fondue!! Cheese is by far my favorite!
Hands down– the chocolate!! 🙂
I’ve had the dessert fondue a few times from The Melting Pot & it’s amazing, but I’d love to try the cheese fondue!
Yum!! Melting Pot is so much fun. My favorite course is the entree course. The broth is so good, especially with mushrooms!!
I would definitely most looks forward to dessert…YUM!
I can’t possibly choose! Chocolate and cheese are two of mt favorite things
I am a HUGE chocolate lover so I’d love the chocolate fondue!! I’ve never been to the Melting Pot before but have been wanting to go for some time now.
This is a very tough choice: cheese that is delicious and savory or sweet and divine chocolate… I think I will have to go with the cheese fondue, nothing like ooey gooey melted cheese!!
The cheese for sure! I live for all the creamy, melty, deliciousness!
I would enjoy the cheese part the most! I love the fruit and cheese combo.
Cheese Cheese oh glorious cheese!!
Chocolate chocolate chocolate!!!
Oh man, for sure the chocolate dessert! We have a Melting Pot in Portland, and my family’s always wanted to try it!
Oh my goodness, anything cheesy or chocolately of course!!!
All of the courses sound amazing to me, but cheese is the winner!
Chocolate!!! There is a Melting Pot in Boston, MA that I have always been meaning to try 🙂
I would most look forward to the entree, because I love how they cook up the meats/veggies like that and I like a variety of sauces!
The cheese course, absolutely!
Definitely Cheese!!! My husband and I would love a nice date night! We have a 14month old son and dont get enough date nights.
One of the first things I bonded with my boyfriend over (and I know this is weird…) is the famous “Which Would You Rather Give Up Forever” questions of: cheese or oral sex? Obviously, we would both prefer cheese to be a part of our lives forever…he even got me a cheese board for Christmas. It’s definitely become a thing of ours. I’d love to be able to take him to The Melting Pot (he’s never been!) and maybe we’d just stick to the cheese course for the entire meal =)
I haven’t been to Melting Pot in a couple of years and would love to try the Skinny Dipping menu. That salad looks amazing!
The cheese baby!!! Yummy.
The cheese! Although I’m sure chocolate would be a very close second!
Most definitely the chocolate course!!!
I’ve never been, but I LOVE making cheese fondue so I can only I imagine how good their cheese dipping sauce is!
Chocolate for sure! although I love cheese as well!
I’d loooove to try an entree. I’ve only been to the Melting Pot for dessert!
It would be a toss up between the cheese and chocolate! Everything looks delicious!
Chocolate all the way!!!
I love chocolate, but the steak looked delicious!
I love the cheese, but the chocolate is the best.
I have always wanting to try the Melting Pot! My birthday is coming soon, I would to go there to celebrate!
Ohhh…it’s a tough choice, but I think I would go with the chocolate!
Mmmmmm I LOVE cheese fondue but your dessert course looks too amazing!!!
Cheese please!! I <3 cheese fondue. Everything looks delicious though, it was a hard choice!
I have been wanting to go to the melting pot forever and this post made we want to go right now! I can’t wait to try every course including the drinks 🙂 thanks Julie!
I feel like I’m in the minority, but the entree course! I’ve never been to melting pot and I want to see how the entree course works!
I would loooooovvvvveeee the cheese part the best! What’s not to love? Bread, cheese and apples?? Yummo!
Chocolate for sure !!! 🙂
I had no idea they had “entrees” at the Melting pot. I’d love to see what else is there!
I’d love the chocolate! I have a hugeee sweet tooth!
Cheese! With dessert coming in for a close second 🙂
Cheese, please!! 🙂
It all looks so yummy – cheese or dessert would be my favorite!
The dessert course! Dark chocolate fondue and red wine; yes please
I enjoy the cheese course the most! But dessert is a very close second!
Without a doubt, the dessert course!
My favorite course is by far the chocolate. I LOVE the Oreo covered marshmallows. I really enjoyed your post and seeing some new options. My birthday is Sunday and I just told my husband after reading your post that would be a GREAT birthday dinner celebration next week after I complete my Goofy Challenge this weekend at Disney! I’m super excited to be running the 1/2 marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on my birthday!!! Hope your Zooma race is awesome. I have put that on my list for next year!