At the Melting Pot, three things melt: cheese, chocolate and the contents of your wallet.
The restaurant is right across the street from Reading Market Terminal, but its warm red walls and elaborate light fixtures asserted itself as more structured fine dining. Upon entering, my companion and I were ushered to a secluded booth and introduced to a formulaic four-part menu that included a cheese fondue appetizer, light salad, broth-cooked entrée and chocolate fondue dessert.
We began with the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue ($16). It was concocted on a heating unit at our table by our server, who mixed the ingredients together in a small metal pot (hence the melting pot). She explained every ingredient in detail — a copious amount of white wine, Gruyère and Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, garlic, nutmeg and a dash of cherry brandy. The pot was accompanied with rosemary and honey whole wheat bread, cubed Granny Smith apples and small vegetable pieces.
However, despite the elaborate process, the white wine managed to overpower all the other flavors. We had to resort to barely dipping the bread or apple pieces, and the taste of Swiss cheese was barely noticeable amidst the alcohol. I suggest asking your server to prepare your fondue with slightly less alcohol than normal (a strange thing to ask for, I know), or ordering the nonalcoholic Fiesta Cheese Fondue (also $16).
The cheese was followed by small salads, and we chose the California and Caesar (both $5). The Caesar was standard with romaine lettuce and croutons, while the California had Roma tomatoes, gorgonzola cheese and walnuts drenched in black raspberry vinaigrette. My companion commented that his option tasted more like “dressing with salad on the side,” and I had to agree.
Our second pot was a broth, and we chose the Coq au Vin option ($6 extra per pot), made from brandy wine, herbs and spices, and topped with mushrooms and scallions. We ordered the vegetarian ($17) and breast of chicken ($19) options, and the raw food was accompanied with a myriad of five dipping sauces. While we were slightly intimidated by everything turning a pale purple, the simmering mixture added a rich flavor to the food that we cooked ourselves.
Pot number three was by far the most luxurious and delicious — chocolate fondue. Torn by the multitude of delectable options, we finally decided on the Flaming Turtle ($16 for two), which consisted of milk chocolate, chopped pecans and caramel flambéed tableside. It was accompanied by unlimited dippers that were desserts in themselves: strawberries, bananas, graham cracker covered marshmallows and a slice of cheesecake. The fondue was delightfully warm and sweet, with the flavors in perfect harmony.
If you’re scrambling for a venue for your next romantic event, the Melting Pot may be a good choice — make your reservations far in advance, as it is popular. The most important piece of advice: while some of the dippers are unlimited, you must save room for dessert.
The atmosphere of the Melting Pot wavers between the casual and the formal; while some menu items are very expensive, showing up in jeans and a nice top seems almost acceptable. In addition, even your non-culinary significant other can feel the accomplishment of preparing his or her own meal. And if you’re on a smaller budget, it’s definitely worth it to skip the meal and go just for dessert. The Melting Pot is definitely a restaurant that saves the best for last
Melting Pot 1219 Filbert St. (215) 922-7002 Don’t Miss: Dessert, of course Skip: The salads — so unnecessary Bottom Line: Chocolate lovers, unite! The rest just doesn't compare.
