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The Melting Pot
2348 Solomons Island Rd., Annapolis
410-266-8004
Have you ever been out to dinner and found yourself saying at the end of the meal, "My steak was too well done," or "My entrée could have used more sauce and seasonings"?
Well, there's a remedy: Visit The Melting Pot, where you can feel like a cooking champion or blame the mistakes on yourself.
Our faithful friends joined us recently to celebrate Katie's birthday at The Melting Pot. This popular spot on Solomons Island Road is all about fondue, but with more extensive choices. And the options are many. You can dip bread in different melted cheeses recipes, deep fry or poach assorted meats, seafood or vegetables, or coat small pastries and berries in unctuous melted chocolate.
Fondue in France was very popular in the late '60's and thru the '70's. It was a great way to gather with friends and family and enjoy a long dinner filled with substantial conversation and good times. The experience is somewhat different from a more traditional dinner, as the guests cook their meals at the table at a leisurely pace. At The Melting Pot, your table is already set with two built-in electric burners. The wait staff brings fondue pots with your choice of cooking liquids, either frying oil or a seasoned bouillon-in our case, one of each. The liquids provided a savory means of preparation for our menu selections, which consisted of marinated duck breast, beef tenderloin, Pacific Rim-style pork, chicken breast, shrimp, pot stickers and fresh tuna.
The interesting part is that all these selections are accompanied by an array of flavorful dipping sauces: a fresh horseradish for your beef, perhaps, a cocktail for your seafood, a peanut sauce for the duck, an oriental for both your tuna or pot sticker and a mustard sauce. There's enough to try different combinations.
Your side dishes, such as potatoes and vegetables, will come raw or blanched and you can finish them off as you like. You can even do your own tempura vegetables, since you are provided with the batter. The choice of entrees even extends to cook-your-own raviolis. The Melting Pot menu offers "Fondue for Two," an all-inclusive meal or individual "signature" selections as well.
We started our adventure with two types of cheese fondue: Cheddar Cheese Fondue with aged medium sharp and Emmenthaler cheeses with lager beer, garlic and seasoning, and the Wisconsin Trio fondue with creamy Fontina, Butterkase and Buttermilk Bleu Cheese with white wine, scallions and sherry, both served with an assortment of breads and fruit. Both of them were very good, if very filling.
We finished with The Melting Pot's dessert fondue. If you're watching your calorie intake, you can settle for an apple at home later. If not, you can indulge in a nice selection of petit fours, cheese cakes, fruits and berries in a warm dark chocolate or a smooth flaming Turtle, which is what Kate selected as her special birthday treat.
The Melting Pot has a friendly, cordial atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy a no-rush dinner. The décor is elegant and casual at the same time, with a marble/Corian bar, cherry wood and plush leather booths. Our compliments to Bill, our waiter, who really made us feel at home and graciously had balloons ready for Katie (we called ahead). Jeremy, the manager, also did a great job filling us in on the wine list and other events that take place at The Melting Pot, such as their occasional wine dinners. This is a fine place to experience a dining adventure.
To all the "Chef-fies" out there: let's see how you do it!