Business Profile: The Melting Pot, a Fondue Restaurant, White Plains
On the scale of all things wonderful, melted cheese (of all kinds) and chocolate will always make the top of the food-lovers list. Add a fun experience that entertains as well as bonds and you have the basic ingredients for a good time at The Melting Pot located at 30 Mamaroneck Avenue, in White Plains.
On our visit we met Assistant Manager Greg Malara and our very gracious and knowledgeable server Brian Longo.
What attracted us to The Melting Pot was word that the menu had changed to free up different elements from a once bundled presentation to options a la carte.
While seating is geared to couples and groups because cooking is family style, the menu selections now cater to individual tastes and combinations.
If you are on the fast track to take in a show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center, a movie at City Center or even if you are on a lunch break, you can select one, two, three or four courses, and the new menu allows dessert anytime with chocolate fondue prices starting at $7.95 per person. A sweet and savory duet of cheese and chocolate fondue may be had for as low as $15.90 per person.
For those seeking a quiet romantic evening just for two, The Melting Pot has its own Lovers Lane with private booths featuring side by side seating and soft lighting with starlight twinkles embedded in the ceiling overhead.
Cheese and chocolate options still require couples to share a pot, but the different main course entrees can be ordered individually or shared.
There are several pre-selected themes on the menu that allow for a different cooking style and taste experience for the different fondue options. Ingredients are brought to the table by the server, who prepares the basic mix, explaining what each ingredient is and giving the diners the option of more or less at their request.
According to Longo, servers go through an intensive week of training where they learn about every item on the menu, and how to prepare and serve it.
Diners are given a set of long handled forks with a specific color for each person, so they know which is theirs once they have placed an item in the pot to cook.
There is an extensive wine list with wines by the bottle, half bottle and glass, specialty cocktails and a growing beer list. In some cases wine or beer can be paired with different items on the menu.
Cheese fondue selections include Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue with Gruyere and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses with white wine, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and Kirschwasser. The Cheddar Cheese Fondue includes medium-sharp cheddar and Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, lager beer, garlic and seasoning. There is a Fiesta Cheese Fondue with jalapeno peppers, Spinach Artichoke Fondue, and Wisconsin Trio Cheese Fondue with buttermilk and bleu cheese.
Salads include a traditional house mix, spinach mushroom and Caesar salad. Entrees feature lobster, shrimp, pork tenderloin, filet mignon, sirloin and breast of chicken. Cooking styles are Coq au Vin with Burgundy wine with fresh herbs, spices and mushrooms; Bourguignonne with canola oil; Mojo with Caribbean-inspired bouillon featuring garlic and citrus flavors; and Court Bouillon with vegetable broth, herbs and spices.
The chocolate fondues run the gamut from a signature milk chocolate to a mix of dark and white chocolate. Pralines, bananas, caramel and crunchy peanut butter also make appearances.
Malara notes that fondue is very popular with the ladies, although we saw many families dining together on our visit. However, we did hear the restaurant has become a favorite for Sweet Sixteen parties.
There is a bar area and party room that can serve up to 60 people at one time. Smaller parties of 42 and 18 can also be accommodated. Special party packages are available for guests under 12 years of age.
If you are planning a party, Malara recommends calling at least a week in advance to set the date. For regular dining, reservations are recommended.
The restaurant is open every night for dinner and from Thursday through Sunday for lunch.
When you arrive at 30 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, take the elevator to the lower level. When the doors open to the restaurant, you enter into another world.
To find out more visit www.meltingpot.com or call 914-993-6358 to make a reservation.
