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Melting Pot: It's Hip to Dip In Hot Cheese, If You Please | |
| By Anne Wilson -- Special To The Tribune | 05/03/2002 | |
| Fondue is the ultimate "slow food." Cooking and eating dinner one bite at a time really slows the pace. Every morsel can be savored. That's one of the great things about the Melting Pot. The other: the social aspect of communal cooking adds to the conviviality of the table. Could there be a better icebreaker for people meeting for the first time or for old friends who are reconnecting? Fondue is enjoying something of a renaissance, although if you track the history of the Melting Pot restaurant chain, first launched in Maitland, Fla., in 1975, dipping never went out of style. The Melting Pot, with 60 restaurants nationwide, offers all three styles of fondue: the Swiss practice of dipping bread and fruit in melted cheese; the French fondue bourguignonne, where meats and fish are cooked in hot oil and dipped in sauces; and dessert fondue of melted chocolate, served with fruits and cake for dipping. Utah's first Melting Pot franchise, owned by college friends Bret Burkinshaw and Dirk Astle, opened downtown in mid-March in a two-story building on Main Street. The extensive remodel included installation of a powerful ventilation system to remove the heat and odors of tabletop cooking. The restaurant is divided into small dining rooms, each outfitted with high-backed booths that offer comfort and privacy. The high ceiling and its exposed ductwork make a strong design statement, thanks to a vibrant salmon color. A cozy, stylish bar makes good use of southern windows with a view of the action on Market Street. A larger room behind the bar can be reserved for private parties. The Melting Pot menu requires a few decisions. First, diners must decide whether they want a meal of two or three courses. Two courses include a salad and an entree of meats or fish to be cooked at the table; with three courses, add a cheese fondue appetizer. The other decision is cooking method: traditional oil or one of three flavored broths, a couple of which carry an extra charge (a needless way to boost the cost of a meal). After that, it's a matter of which batter to dip the food in before cooking and which sauce to dip it in after. Diners can opt for only cheese fondue ($14 for up to two people; with bread, apples and vegetables, it's enough for a light meal) or dessert (two sizes, $12 and $22). Here's the bottom line: A meal at the Melting Pot is time-consuming, labor intensive and pricey. But it's also a lot of fun, as well as deliciously different. The most popular option, at least for first-timers, is the three-course "fondue for two" ($49 to $53 or more, depending on the market price of lobster). Diners pick one of four fondue recipes, from the delicious classic made with Gruyere and emmenthaler Swiss cheeses, white wine, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and a cherry-flavored liqueur called Kirschwasser, to the more heavily textured cheddar fondue, made with two cheeses, lager beer and garlic. They're all good (could melted cheese ever be bad?) but the traditional recipe is outstanding, with its subtle fruity flavoring. It's great for fruit, bread and most of the vegetables (carrots, celery and cauliflower), although the carrots are the weakest of the bunch. (Hint: celery with cheddar fondue is fabulous.) The salads are the only flaw in this otherwise well-executed menu, because of their dressings. The chef and California salads (greens, walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese) are normally served with overly sweet dressings applied with a liberal hand. If you aren't a fan of sweet dressings, ask for Parmesan Italian on everything, or dressing on the side. Entrees feature meats and fish ($15 to $23, if not ordered with the three-course meal), ranging from a trio of shrimp, scallops and fish filet to medallions of filet mignon. All come with salad and vegetables for dipping. There's also a vegetarian option, with homemade spinach and Gorgonzola ravioli. Choosing the cooking method can be tricky. Shrimp, for example, isn't best when cooked in a wine-flavored broth. This is where you rely on the advice of Melting Pot servers. They provide instructions and advice on how to match food to a cooking style and make the cheese fondue, all the while narrating what goes into the pot. By the time the meal is over, you'll be fast friends. While cooking food in oil might not be the most calorie-conscious choice, it tasted the best (and it is canola oil, low in saturated fat). While the wine broth does justice to peppered pork and marinated duck, boiled food just doesn't have the flavor punch of food cooked in oil. Dessert should not be missed, whether it's the "flaming turtle: a pot of milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans topped with liqueur and flambeed at the table so you can toast your marshmallows before dipping," or the "yin and yang," a pot of white and dark chocolate that can be swirled or not. Dippers include strawberries, pineapple, bananas, bites of brownie and a slice of cheesecake, which should be drizzled with chocolate not dipped. When everything is gone, you'll want to lick the pot. Make a reservation. The Melting Pot is still a novelty and it's been busy, plus meals tend to take a couple hours. Why wait when you don't have to? The Melting Pot is a nice option for a snack before the theater, dessert afterward or for an entertaining, full-length meal, as long as you don't mind doing some of the cooking. The Melting Pot 340 S. Main St., Salt Lake City; 801-521-6358 * Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5-11 p.m. * Prices: Entrees from $15 to $53 (for two) * Liquor: Full bar, wine list * Reservations: Recommended * Child's Menu: No * Wheelchair Accessible: Yes * Outdoor Dining: No * Parking: Street or valet ($3 without tip) * Credit Cards: All major Anne Wilson is The Tribune's restaurant reviewer. The newspaper covers the cost of meals at restaurants reviewed and there is no connection between reviews and restaurant advertising. Wilson welcomes food and wine news, comments and suggestions at wilwrite99@aol.com. |
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