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’d love to try it!
Oh the cheese course is amazing!! I also love their salad…umm melting pot!!
I’m a Wisconsin girl, I live for the Cheesey portion of the menu! 🙂
The cheese course is my absolute favorite!!! Closely followed by dark chocolate fondue…:)
i love melting pot! the dessert course is my favorite…the oreo covered marshmallows dipped into the chocolate fondue is so good!
Cheese lover fo’ life!!
Chocolate of course! I could make a meal of that!
Definitely the cheese! I can never get enough of it.
My husband took me there once and we loved it! If I had to choose one, I’d say cheese, but it’s really hard not to say chocolate. I haven’t had as much time to read your blog sadly with med school, but I’m glad I caught this one 🙂
Dessert. Always! 🙂 Some girlfriends and I have a tradition to get together every Christmas holiday for melting pot dessert. Fun times and a delicious indulgence!
Cheese!!
Cheese and Chocolate! Forget the main course! 🙂
I would definitely look forward to the cheese course the most!
The chocolate is always so special. My preference usually is dark chocolate with Frangelico added.
I would definitely choose the cheese course. I went with my boyfriend back in September and I was so full off of it’s goodness that I couldn’t imagine eating another bite. I just love salty snacks and cheese is one of my weaknesses. I can’t buy cheeze-its because I will eat them all in one sitting, it’s bad!
The chocolate course sounds fantastic!!!
the CHOCOLATE would probably be my favorite. But let’s get real, I would definitely enjoy every. single. course in it’s entirety. Great post!!!
OMG I LOVE The Melting Pot. That is where my boyfriend took me on our second date! It was such a fun way to get to know each other! I’d love to go back! I have a HUGE sweet tooth so my favorite course is the chocolate course! Although the other courses are great as well! 🙂
I would enjoy the chocolate and peanut butter fondue dipped with bananas!
I love the melting pot, and of course the chocolate course is my fav!
I have always wanted to try The Melting Pot. I would enjoy the cheese course most of all, and would probably choose the beer cheese or swiss. Yum!
As much as I love every single course of fondue…. I’m not going to lie, I will always look forward to dessert the most. The s’mores and turtle fondue desserts are delicious.
I would love to try the chocolate!! I have been a couple times and had the cheese but have been too full for dessert! Do you think it would be bad to just start out with dessert first?? 🙂
I absolutely would look forward to the CHEESE course the most!
Oh, I love the Melting Pot we just went there for their New Year’s Eve Mardi Gras theme! Even had alligator! My fav is the mushroom caps with the green goddess dip in them! The coq au vin fondue is my favourite for entree! 🙂 oh and, pick me Julie, pick me! 😉
I would most look forward to the chocolate fondue. So creamy and delicious! I would like anything dark but would also be interested in the Skinny Dipping menu.
I LOVE cheese fondue! It’s the best! A delicious treat (not the best for you) but a great treat! Glad you enjoyed your dinner there! 🙂
My brother took me to one in downtown Portland, his favorite restaurant! I”d love to take him back . . . the Brie and Bacon cheese course would soooo be my top choice right now! Sounds amazing!
Of course, the cheese course would win out EVERY TIME! I’m addicted to cheese. I love fondue but I’ve never been to the Melting Pot so I would love to win this giveaway.
Definitley the Cheese! The Melting Pot is my absolute favorite restaurant!
Definitely the chocolate course! Getting to dip sweets into warm, gooey chocolate? HEAVEN!
Dessert is my favorite meal and I would love the chocolate one!
I LOVE the Melting Pot and haven’t been in a long time. My husband has never gone, so I’d love to introduce him to it. My favorite, of course, is the dessert course.
Why, Chocolate…of course!! 😉
It’s been a while since we have been to the melting pot and was not aware of the skinny menu which would come in handy since we are now back to eating healthy. But the cream brûlée dessert sounded so awesome!! Have to try!! We love the cheese and the dessert fondue!!
I have a huge sweet tooth, so chocolate for me!
Ummm chocolate!!!! Is that even a question?!! I’m pretty sure I could live off chocolate!
The cheese course looks amazing!
I love melting pot! My favorite course by far is the cheese! Yum!
Cheese, of course!!
We’re all about the CHEESE!!! Even started making our on queso at home to avoid so many extra calories when going out to eat!
I would enjoy all of eat! We just had a baby and don’t get many date nights!
CHEESE! CHEESE! and more CHEESE! And the amazing opportunity to share a two hour rare experience with someone you care about. A meal you rarely indulge in but when you do it’s sooooo worth it. My love of cheese is why I exercise each day : )!!!!
I would have to say cheese! My husband and I have 2 children, a really long commute, and little time for small pleasures. However, we make time for some good cheese! 🙂
It would definitely be a toss up between the cheese and dessert course. But, seeing that delicious chocolate makes me lean towards dessert! It looks heavenly!
CHEESE PLEASE!
I’m looking forward to the CHEESE! I haven’t been to the MP in years! & the hubs & I have not had a date night in 6 months since our baby was born. I never win any of the giveaways I enter so this giveaway would be amazing especially since its much dinner. $100 is very generous but i know they’re pricey so I doubt there will be any change left to say: keep the change you filthy animal 😉 I kid!
I like to drink the chocolate peanutbutter fondue through a straw after I’ve bathed in a cheese bath and gorged myself on small pieces of pumpernickle. For these reasons and many more, I’d like to win $100 to The Melting Pot.
Wow! What memories. That last time I had The Melting Pot my husband was on active duty in Miami after 9/11. I absolutely love the cheese appetizer part of the meal and would love to go back 🙂
Cheese!