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MELISSA HALTERMAN/ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT
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Laurie Henderson, Tucsonan, enjoys the "flaming turtle" dessert at The Melting Pot in the Foothills Mall last night. The Melting Pot is a romantic fondue restaurant open from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. nightly.
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By Jessica Lewusz
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday, February 12, 2004
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As we are all aware, Valentine's Day quickly approaches. And while it brings excitement for some, it brings anxiety for many young lovers.
But if you're romantically challenged, don't worry. The Melting Pot has got you covered. The fondue restaurant screams romance in cuisine and ambience.
To answer your fondue FAQs, "fondue" derives from the French verb "fondre," meaning "to melt." Originating in Switzerland as a way of cooking hardened cheese, fondue has morphed into different methods of cooking meat and melting chocolate.
The Melting Pot, 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd. near Foothills Mall, offers all the varieties of fondue. In addition to the great food, the restaurant has dim lighting and candles on the table, adding an intimate element to your meal.
In celebration of Valentine's Day, my date and I ordered the fondue for two. This dining option is a three-course meal, which offers a great variety of fondues. The pricing per couple ranges from $44 to $62, depending on which entrŽe you choose.
The first course was a cheese fondue. The menu offers several options, ranging from cheddar fondue to traditional Swiss cheese. We chose the house feature, spinach and artichoke fondue in Swiss cheese. The fondue's base was a mix of GruyŹre and Emmentaler Swiss cheeses, accented with spinach, garlic and artichoke hearts. The Swiss cheese - although it didn't smell as good as it tasted - was amazing, complemented with a variety of fresh vegetables, apples and bread.
The next course was a mushroom salad. It was so packed with mushrooms that at first glance, I couldn't see any lettuce under the 'shroom mound. But after searching below, a nice salad was revealed, full of fresh vegetables and lettuce.
The third course - the Signature Selection - included, shrimp, chicken, fresh mahimahi fish and teriyaki marinated sirloin. To accompany the entrŽe, we were given a selection of sauces, dipping batters and vegetables. The variety was great because it made the fondue combinations endless. My favorite combination was the mahimahi accented with ginger plum sauce; the sauce provided a delicate sweetness to the fresh fish.
Not included in the fondue for two was the coveted chocolate fondue. Reasonably priced at $12 for a small pot, this dessert should not be overlooked. We chose the Yin and Yang chocolate fondue, aptly titled because of the swirl of half dark and half white chocolate. Served with fresh strawberries, bananas, pineapples, cheesecake, brownies and marshmallows for your dipping pleasure, this is either a chocoholic's dream come true or a calorie counter's nightmare.
Although The Melting Pot can be costly for the budgeting student, the menu offers a la carte options that are much more cost effective.
It may be a little late to grab a Valentine's Day reservation, but the next time you're in the mood for romance, remember how sexy fondue can be.
