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The Melting Pot 125 E. Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Larkspur 415-461-6358 www.meltingpot.com
Fondue |
There are 95 Melting Pots across the United States, but I’ll bet none of them is located in as spectacular and surreal a location as the new one in Larkspur. Set in the historic Brick Kiln building—inside the actual kiln, which consists of a warren of curving brick tunnels—this new Melting Pot has atmosphere to spare. It’s kind of like Pirates of the Caribbean with melted cheese. Comfy booths are tucked along the edges of the tunnels, and each table comes equipped with an inset stove.
Fondue is the order of the day here, and the main course is cooked by you at the table. You can order courses or individual entrées. The course approach is best, but beware of that first appetizer course. It would be easy to make a meal out of the cheese fondue with four kinds of bread, vegetables and Granny Smith Apples for dipping. There are four cheese fondue appetizers to choose from—cheddar cheese, traditional Swiss, Wisconsin Trio (fontina and Butterkase and buttermilk blue) and Mexican-flavored Fiesta fondue. All are made from scratch at your table by the waiter. I preferred the traditional Swiss fondue to the cheddar-based versions. (Hint: Ask for extra garlic in the Swiss fondue—the flavors of this Tampa-based chain are set for tamer middle American palates). Salads here are basic, but they’re fresh and just what you need mid-meal—a sort of palate cleanser between fondue courses.
We had the “Big Night Out” meal, which featured four courses—appetizer, salad, dessert and, for the main course, a choice between two sumptuous platters of impeccably fresh and nicely marinated meats ready for the cooking. The Mediterranean Feast offers breast of chicken, peppercorn pork, orange marinated duck, beef tenderloin, spinach and gorgonzola ravioli, tiger shrimp and vegetables. The Decadence features lime and tequila shrimp, Creole chicken, salmon, teriyaki sirloin, center cut filet mignon, all arrayed around a pretty, glistening lobster tail. These same ingredients are available separately in the signature entrées section. In addition to choosing meat for your entrée, you also get to choose a cooking style, which is prepared tableside by your server. Choices include Coq Au Vin, Fondue Court Bouillion, a Caribbean Mojo Fondue, which are all broth-based, or Fondue Bourguignonne, an oil-based method that comes with sesame and tempura fondue batters to dip your meats into before cooking. All entrées come with a large array of dipping sauces. Different cooking styles work better with some entrées than others, and you’d be wise to choose carefully, since most of the tables only have one burner (meaning you can only have one cooking style per table).
Wrap up your extravagant evening with one of eight chocolate fondues, served with strawberries, pineapple, cheesecake, pound cake and marshmallows for dipping.
A great spot for after work get-togethers, The Melting Pot is less of a restaurant than an adventure. Reservations are a must. The joint was really jumping the night we dined, and hordes of hopeful diners were being turned away at the door.
