With graduation season in full swing, Father’s Day approaching and for any other special occasion, the popular unique fondue experience, The Melting Pot, has opted to add a meal hyper-focused on celebrations for patrons. And they did that the best way they know how—with a lot of flavor and fire.
The venue is known for its “fondue dining” format spanning specialty cheeses (options include Wisconsin cheddar, classic alpine, spinach artichoke, buffalo Wisconsin cheddar and more) entrees cooked table side (with an array of veggies, meats and seafoods as options), plus dessert (think melted cookie butter crunch, s’mores, a chocolate explosion and other flavors.)
The servers here typically help guide the process. For the cheese portion, the ingredients are added right into the pot in the middle of your table by an employee, so you can see exactly what goes into each option. After melting, a variety of dippers like veggies and pretzel bread are then brought out. Entree-wise, you cook your own meat and seafood, and QR codes at each table bring up timers straight to your phone so you know how long to cook (and you typically get a few options.)
Dessert mimics the cheese portion in terms of ingredients being added in front of you, and dippers (in the form of waffles, pound cake, brownies, Oreo-crusted marshmallows and more) are provided like the app portion of the meal on the side. Typically, as a sweet bonus, you can also get free refills of those extra dipping sides for both portions as well.
The Melting Pot also features some add-ons like rosemary fries or a charcuterie board, and they have a selection of salads on the menu as well on top of signature dipping sauces for your mains. For the specific celebratory occasion, however, which they’ve dubbed the “Ultimate 5-Course Experience”, the brand tries to offer everything from their main menu—just with an elevated touch.
The experience starts with a green goddess bacon-stuffed tomato to “awaken the palate,” and then the salad portion comes (you have a choice between a few different options per person.) The cheese of your choice then arrives, but with this dipping experience, it also includes the “double dippers” aka a selection of six savory, crunchy toppings including bacon and everything bagel seasoning to add on to your bites.
The entree portion will be cooked either in the pot or on a cast-iron grill, depending on what you choose. But then the dessert is where the “fire” portion of this celebratory dine comes out with a “fondue explosion” complete with sparklers and cotton candy (your choice of a raspberry dark chocolate fondue topped with red velvet cake, or birthday cake white chocolate fondue topped with confetti cake.)
There’s also two new cocktails that add to the ‘Ultimate’ experience (for those who wish to indulge.) The two colorful sipper options span the Tropic Haven Punch with RumHaven Coconut Rum, sour mix, pineapple juice, passion fruit purée, blue curaçao and Red Bull Original, but there’s also The 1975, which boasts Hendricks Gin, la marca prosecco, fresh lemon, cupcake syrup and then topped with cotton candy, edible gold and a rock candy stir stick.
Overall, the experience costs about $82 per person, and it is a kitschy and different way to mark an occasion without breaking the bank. Plus, some of the options on the menu on their own are just fun to partake in—possibilities are versatile with the fondue portions, and the entree cooking offers a different way to get your food piping hot and fresh.
The Melting Pot is also a spot that capitalizes on offering interesting ways to enjoy its food with themed specials in mind. For one, Thursdays become “Thursdate” complete with rose petals and candles, while every Wednesday is “Friendsday” aka a three-course experience for best friends to enjoy.
For Father’s Day specifically, the venue is also offering endless land and sea entrees, endless steak, or endless main entree options for dads to enjoy on June 16, and it will continue every Monday through Thursday until Aug. 1.
To find out more information about The Melting Pot (there are locations in KOP and Maple Shade) and the Ultimate Five Course Experience, visit meltingpot.com
