A Cheesy Little Date

Last night Dustin and I enlisted the services of our beloved babysitter and took a night off from our nightly routine. After all the OT he's been pulling in, Dustin deserved a break. We were going to try Sushi Brothers, again, but they were so packed I was afraid we'd add a migraine to our hunger pangs. The Melting Pot is right down the street, and there happened to be some free street-side parking.

I'd never been, so I was quite happy Dustin suggested it. They weren't that crowded, though with the deceptively deep dinning area, even if they were 3/4 full, you could still enjoy an intimate dinner for two. We were seated beside the nearly two story glass-walled wine room with a clear view of their nice selection (from which we partook, of course). Our friendly waiter, Rick, explained the menu to us and we chose their current promotion, the Pacific Islands Big Night Out- a four course meal, all but the main course of which is interchangeable, for two at $85. We stuck to the arrangement and started with Feng Shui Cheese Fondue. The mix of Havarti cheese and Sake just didn't work for me. But the green apples and bread to dip in it was good. The following course of lettuce wraps was absolutely delicious. Large leaves of crisp lettuce stuffed with finely shredded vegetables, bean sprouts and toasted almonds served with mandarin sesame sauce that was just beautiful. The main course did not disappoint. After detailed instructions, including not to go pot-to-mouth with the skewers (those things get hot!) we received a platter filled with raw meat (which would have definitely freaked me out any other day), four chunks each of pork, chicken, beef, ahi tuna, two shrimp, four vegetable dumplings and a lobster tail. Each was lightly pre-seasoned, and our chosen preparation, an island inspired blend of citrus and spices called Mojo, was boiling away, ready for our little morsels to take a swim. And the sauces! Not one, or two, or three, but eight sauces, each totally different from the other and absolutely delicious. There was also a bowl full of potatoes, mushrooms and broccoli. Is it any wonder it took us 3 hours to eat supper? But the process was fascinating and romantic (though we stopped short of feeding each other). It was one of the most fun meals I've ever had in a sophisticated setting. But hold on, kiddies, we're not done yet. There was still the dessert course. We had the recommended Yin & Yang fondue: dark chocolate swirled with passion fruit-infused white chocolate in the shape of, what else, a Yin-Yang sign. The plate of dippable treats they brought blew the wonder at the sauces out of the water. A slice of cheesecake, two bites of brownie, two bites of pound cake, Oreo- and graham cracker-crusted marshmallows, rice crispy treats and a bowl of sliced strawberries. And a cherry. Whoa. That stuff was sinfully good. We also had after dinner drinks, Dustin a grasshopper and I a coffee with Amaretto. Oh, and did I mention the fabulous wine Rick suggested, Zin of Zins? Yeah, we had two. Bottles. (Spread over a 3+ hour span, with food, it wasn't so bad.) So, feeling stuffed to the gills, and a bit swimy, we chatted with the friendly waitstaff a while before paying our $162 bill (before tip) and walked to the Avenue so I could try the new Hurricane Saison on the balcony, then went home before we were tempted to stay for another brew, which our full tummies would have firmly protested, I have no doubt.

Because we had so much fun dipping sharp objects topped with meat and vegetables into boiling liquids, Dustin has proclaimed that our monthly date nights will henceforth take place at The Melting Pot. Um, yeah. I had a fabulous time, but I like variety. Not to mention it would seriously drain our date budget, but I'm sure I'll be ready for a return trip in about six weeks.