Reno-Tahoe

Last night I needed to pay back my wife for all the late hours at work and at home, so I recommended we try a localfondue establishment called The Melting Pot.

We arranged for a babysitter and headed out.  Upon arriving, I was first amazed at the scale of the restaurant – from outside The Melting Pot looks pretty modest, but it’s actually quite large; two stories with tables that were set for two to 10. We also noticed a large contingent of high school kids … apparently it was prom night.

After being escorted around a great bar and wine cellar, we sat in a comfortable booth near the back. Drinks were ordered and we reviewed the menu. Our waitress walked us through the menu, and made a few suggestions about her favorites. We decided to try the “Big Night Out” which includes your choice of a cheese fondue, any salad, choice from three different selections of meats and, of course, a desert fondue.

We chose the Spinach & Artichoke Cheese Fondue, which includes: Fontina and Butterkäse cheeses, spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic.  It was accompanied by three different breads, Grannysmith apples and a selection of different raw vegetables.

As we started to finish the cheese fondue, a busboy named Pablo quickly cleared our plates and refilled our drink order.  Our waitress brought or next course, two Insalata Caprese salads, and helped us decide how to cook our meats. We chose to use oil so that we could also tempura a few items, but other options include infused broths.

Meats and vegetables included lobster, teriyaki-marinated sirloin, white shrimp, marinated pork tenderloin, filet mignon, breast of chicken, potstickers, mushrooms, a spinach cheese filling, two types of tempura batter, melted garlic butter, and a variety of sauces – bleu cheese, spicy cocktail, light mustard sauce, plumb sweet-and-sour and teriyaki. For desert we indulged in fondue called the Flaming Turtle, made mostly of milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans, which were flambéed tableside, accompanied by several types of cake, brownies, fruits and marshmallows.

All in all the meal took a little over two hours to complete, so make sure you plan accordingly. For what we received, in both ambience and food, the price was within what I would expect.  The service was wonderful – everyone was helpful and knowledgeable about the establishment.  I would also note that this is not necessarily family friendly … not due to the restaurant, but having hot oils and broths with skewers can’t be a safe option for smaller children. I would suggest you try out this if not for dinner, then for at least a special dessert for you and your significant other.  Also I would suggest making reservations, especially if it is a special day for you.

The Melting Pot
6950 S McCarran Blvd, Reno 89509
(775) 827-6500
www.meltingpot.com

Lunch Hours
Daily 11 AM to 2 PM

Dinner Hours
Sundays 4 PM to 9 PM
Monday to Thursday 5 PM to 10 PM
Friday and Saturday 4 PM to 11 PM