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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cheese for sure!!!
Definitely dessert! 😉 There is a Melting Pot here in Columbus and I am sad to say I’ve never been to it! After reading this I’m definitely going to have to give it a try! Yum!
Definitely chocolate! The combination of warm chocolate and the fruit is amazing. I also had never tried a chocolate-covered rice krispie before! They are always fabulous.
The cheese fondue looks AMAZING! We have one 15 minutes from my house but I haven’t been yet (due to price).
typically id say the cheese, but after seeing that cracked caramel and white chocolate…. sign me up!!!
Chocolate!!!!! Yumm-o!
Chocolate hands down! My mouth is drooling right now!
Definitely the chocolate course!
I would have to say the dessert!! Have been really trying to behave myself in 2013 so far…feeling a moment of weakness 🙂 The Melting Pot nearest to me (Madison, WI) has a Girls’ Night Out menu at a super reduced price on Monday nights…was a great way to check out this fun place!!
The dessert for sure! That creme brulee looks fabulous!
The cheese, of course! But I’m intrigued to try out their new “skinny” options! I could use a date night too!
The chocoloate for sure!
Entree! We love the melting pot!
Definitely the chocolate!!
The dessert course for sure! Sounds delicious.
I LOVE The Melting Pot — one of my faves!!! I look most forward to the Cheese Fondue!!!!
Chocolate! I have the biggest sweet tooth, and love it when I go to parties that have chocolate fountains. I haven’t been to the Melting Pot near my house yet, but am hoping to be able to check it out soon!
Ah, to have to choose between delicious cheese and divine chocolate!! At the end of the day, chocolate always seems to win!!
Wow! That looks amazing! We have one in Seattle but haven’t been there yet!
The cheese course! I’m salivating just thinking about it 🙂
Big fan of cheese! Looking forward to it! Went once with some of my mommy friends.,. Had a blast! Kept losing my little ravioli during the entree part…
Definitely chocolate with cheese being a close 2nd!
the cheese looks SO good, but the dark chocolate sounds even better! I’ve never been, but now I plan on going this weekend!
CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE!
I drive past a Melting Pot that’s about 10 minutes from my house all the time and I’ve been dying to try it! I would enjoy the cheese course…the apple, bread, cheese combo looks so tasty!
Cheese!
Cheese course!! The more cheese the better with me! 🙂
Cheese, for sure. I don’t like the typical cheese fondue but the Melting Pot has so many great choices!
The Cheese! There’s a Melting Pot here in Minneapolis and I’ve never been!
OMGoodness do we have to choose???? Love fondue!! Has to be cheese and chocolate. Can’t choose between those two! They are both so rich and delicious!!
I’ve never been there before and I have been waiting to go with my boyfriend for a few years now! I am really looking forward to the chocolate and exploring the various combinations they offer! Love your blog!
Cheese, cheese, cheese!!! My all-time favorite food 🙂
That sounds like an incredible date night! I’ve never heard of The Melting Pot before but there is actually one in the Toronto area!! I’d love to win the gift card to take my hubby out on a date night.. but also, our 1st wedding anniversary and both our birthdays are coming up in March and April! I’d be all over the cheese fondue, I love cheese, but the chocolate ones sound incredible as well!
Cheese is my favorite food but seeing the dessert made my mouth water! Yum!
why choose, i want all of them!
I love the cheese course, I would go just for that! lol
I have never been to the Melting Pot, but I think the crème brûlée white chocolate would be my favorite! I love chocolate and I love Creme Burlee…. so I imagine the combo would be even better!
Cheese! Or maybe Chocolate! I’ve never had fondue, but I’d love to try it!
I Ho
I LOVE the cheese course…especially with the green apples! YUM! Great idea I might have to make my husband take me here for my birthday dinner!
I would struggle between the cheese and dessert!! But since I gave up cheese (my weakness) for Lent last year, I’ve only craved it more! So before Fat Tuesday arrives, I think I’ll pick cheese!!!
The cheese course!! Yummmmm!
Cheese for sure! Love the melting pot.
sorry for he the last comment…my phone made me press Post too early!!
I hope this is valid in Canada as they recently opened a Melting Pot in our area. I would love to try the chocolate creme brûlée fondue! Sounds amazing.
Cheese of course, although I have to be rolled out of The Melting Pot when I go because everything is so amazing!!
The decision is hard, but I’d definitely say cheese. The $100 gift would be a perfect birthday dinner for my boyfriend at the end of the month – fingers crossed!
CHEESE!!! I just got a fondue pot for my apartment and I’ve been going crazy making all sorts of goodies!
OMG! That salad looks delicious!! Of course, your dessert looks amazing too! I’ve never been to the melting pot before but my hubby and I have reservations to our local one for Friday night!! So I was excited when I saw your post about it and now I’m even more excited for dinner on Friday!!
I love the Melting Pot! The cheese fondue is definitely my favorite!
Dessert, of course! Gotta love luscious melted chocolate!
The cheese looks delicious, but I would have to say the chocolate is my absolute favorite! The white chocolate one you chose looks fabulous!
Definitely dessert!!!