The Melting Pot

Name: The Melting Pot
Address: 125 E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Larkspur, CA 94939
Phone: (415) 461-6358
Web site: MeltingPot.com
Date & Time visited: Sunday, May 27, 2007 4:00 PM
Guests: Jennifer and me
What we had: "PB & J" martini (Jen), "Dewdrop" (lemon martini) (me), Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue, California salad (me), Caesar salad (Jen), Fondue Fusion with Mojo Style cooking liquid, Original chocolate/peanut butter fondue. Jennifer also had the Grand Flight wine pairing.

We don't eat dinner at 4:00 as a rule, but we were going to a show in nearby San Rafael at 7:30 and the Melting Pot estimated 2-3 hours for a full, leisurly meal--we ended up staying a little under two and a half hours--so we gladly made an early reservation.

Jennifer's drink was a mixture of Chambord, Frangelico and cream and really did taste like a PB & J. My Dewdrop was a pretty standard lemon-drop martini, but was adequate.

We went with the "Big Night Out", Melting Pot's prix-fixe menu which includes a cheese fondue, salads, a main course fondue, and a dessert fondue. The fondues are prepared at the table--each table has a built-in induction burner and each fondue course is served in a metal crock. Our first course was the Wisconsin Trio, a mix of Fontina, Butterkäse and Buttermilk Bleu cheeses with white wine, fresh scallions and a hint of sherry. The cheeses blended perfectly into a creamy mixture that worked well with the three kinds of bread, green apple slices, and carrots and celery with which the fondue was served.

Our salads were good, nothing really special, but a palate-clearing change from the heavy cheese sauce.

The Fondue Fusion is a large platter heavily laden with Lobster Tail, Vannamei Shrimp, Ahi Tuna, Teriyaki Sirloin, Tenderloin, Panang Chicken and Potstickers, plus a side plate of fresh vegetables. Since I don't eat beef, they skipped the sirloin and doubled up the shrimp. These items are all raw at the table, and you cook them in the fondue pot. We were given helpful instructions as to how long each item should be cooked, two fondue forks each plus a "rescue spoon" and a variety of sauces. I can't overstate how spectacular this was; every item took the Mojo broth as if that was the only way they should ever be cooked. It's quite a bit of food, but it was about right for two people who had purposefully fasted so far that day.

We had a hard time agreeing on a dessert--as with the cheese fondue and main course, one dish is shared for both diners. Eventually we came to terms on the Original chocolate/peanut butter fondue, and I don't know why I ever worried. Dipping items for dessert included cubes of pound cake and brownie, chocolate- and graham cracker-dusted marshmallows, a slice of cheesecake and several kinds of fruit. The only somewhat disappointing aspect was the cheesecake; it seemed like a letdown compared to everything else, but there was so much else to play with that we just skipped it and enjoyed the rest of the dessert.

Service: Stellar. Our server carefully explained every detail of what we would be served, answered questions cheerfully and generally put the whole experience over the top. I stuck with water after my Dewdrop martini, and refills were prompt. Jennifer's wine pairings were served with each course.

Would we go back: I'd love to. It's a bit of a drive--it took us 90 minutes, though later I realized we might have saved some time with an alternate route--and a bit expensive, but oh so worth it. There is supposedly a location opening in either San Mateo or Palo Alto, but it's been "coming soon" for some time. Ideally we'd like to take some friends, as this is very much a family-style dining experience.