The Melting Pot

If you would like a meal with friends, one that is just a little bit different, try The Melting Pot. As the name suggests it’s a meal that melts in front of you – a fondue. Very friendly, very social as you all share the cooking!

Take your time looking at the menu – you can have a 3 course fondue meal or just one or two. Having experienced 8 of us sharing a 3 course fondue we were certainly very full as we left the restaurant!

A waiter or waitress will help you if it is your first visit and you need help through the menu. We started with a traditional Swiss cheese fondue and a Fiesta Cheese Fondue with Mexican spices and jalapeno peppers to add a twist. Because there were 8 of us we needed two pots so we could have two different flavours to provide variety. Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli and breads are provided to dip into the oozing delicious cheeses. You can make your choice from up to 6 other cheese variations. The ingredients are added to the pot in front of you with the waitress explaining what she is doing.

Next we had our choice of salad followed by our choice of pots of oil brought to us with our chosen meats and fish. The pots of oil can be done in four cooking styles: Coq Au Vin, with flavours of herbs, spices and garlic in a burgundy wine, Court Bouillon a homemade seasoned broth, Bourguignon, using a low cholesterol oil, and Mojo, Caribbean seasoned Bouillon. We chose a Court Bouillon and Mojo for added spice. Both delicious!

In our choice of what meat/fish to choose my husband and I went for the ‘Fondue Fusion’ which we shared – lobster tail, filet mignon, salmon, pork tenderloins, shrimp, chicken, ravioli and fresh vegetables. All was delicious but my favourite was surprisingly the pork tenderloin. It just melted in my mouth! If you want to share there are 3 choices for sharing – Fondue Feast, Fondue Fusion and Lobster Indulgence. Alternatively you can have single items. Our two daughters shared a plate of chicken as there was no way they would manage a Fondue Fusion! The beauty of this meal is that you can tailor it for what you want. And waiting for food to cook is fun and a great opportunity for conversation.

We were now beginning to feel a little full but succumbed to sharing a desert – after all we were having great fun! Now came the fondue the kids had been waiting for – chocolate! ! Here you have a choice of 8, or the opportunity to add some liqueurs and make your own recipe. We chose a plain chocolate fondue and a Chocolate S’mores (having never tried S’mores, they have now become our children’s favourite American cookie! ). Strawberries, banana, bite size squares of cheesecake, pound cake and brownies, soft marshmallows……. yummy! !

Now we were full! !

There are two close to Orlando – one in Dr Philips – W Sandlake Road, not far from Florida Mall and attractions to the North of Orlando such as Universal Studios and a second Melting Pot in Maitland (this was the first one they ever opened. There are now 133 Melting Pots in 36 States! ) If you’d like to know more, take a look at their website: www. meltingpot. com or call the Sand Lake restaurant on 407-903-1100.