Melting Pot – Sacramento Restaurants

(Updated 12/28/2021)  Description and review of Melting Pot, a popular fondue restaurant located near the Memorial Auditorium in Downtown Sacramento.

My daughter and I recently enjoyed dinner at Melting Pot on my birthday.  It was also Dine Downtown Week and a three-course fondue dinner was being offered for $40.00 per person.

It had been a while since I had dined at Melting Pot – a great place to celebrate a special occasion.  The Dine Downtown Week menu looked very appealing, and I knew the two of us would enjoy both the fondue and a leisurely dinner.  As a general rule I think three hours is about right for fondue.

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Parking

I had reserved a mid-week parking spot in advance at the nearby Memorial Parking Garage ($5).  I found out later that Melting Pot validates (2 hours) parking at that same garage.  Metered street parking is also an option.

Dine Downtown Week Menu

We were greeted upon entering the restaurant and we were soon comfortably seated in a booth.  Our server came by almost immediately to take our drink order and to inquire if we had dined there before.  We had.  If we had not, I knew he would have gladly explained the ins and outs of fondue.

We had our choice of one of three cheese fondues (Bourbon Bacon Cheddar, Spinach Artichoke, Green Goddess Cheddar), and one of three entrees, including a vegetarian option. Cooking styles offered for the entree were Seasoned Court Bouillon, Mojo, Coq au Vin and Bourgulgnonne.  Later we would have our choice of chocolate fondues.

We had studied the menu in advance and ordered:

• Appetizer – Spinach Artichoke Cheese Fondue (Fontina and Butterkase melted with fresh spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic, served with artisan breads and seasonal vegetables for dipping)
• Entrée – Seasoned Vegetable Broth (cooking style) with herb-crusted chicken, shrimp, filet mignon, mascarpone & sundried ravioli, seasonal vegetables and assorted dipping sauces.

Cheese Fondue

We sipped our wine and chatted, and it was not long before our cheese fondue melting pot was set upon the burner inset in the middle of the table.  Our server stirred the contents before adding the fresh spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic.

We had a variety of dippers set in front of each of us, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as we dipped them in the cheese and “swirled” the skewers to keep the cheese where we wanted it – and not dripping all over the table.

Entree

Our attentive server kept an eye on us while he made his way up and down the aisle servicing other diners, and when he saw we were ready he deftly removed the melting pot, plates, etc. in preparation of the second course.

We had chosen the seasoned vegetable broth in which to cook our chicken, shrimp, filet mignon, ravioli, etc. and we were glad we did.  It was delicious!  After making sure we had everything we needed, our friendly server reminded us before he departed to take the time to thoroughly cook the chicken.

The burner for the seasoned vegetable broth was set to a very high temperature, and part way through the entrée our server arrived to top off the pot with additional hot broth.  Within seconds, the pot was again bubbling away and ready for us to continue cooking our dinner.

After noting that we were finished with our entree, our server cleared the table.  This included screwing a lid tightly onto the pot of leftover broth before removing it – a safety precaution.

Chocolate Fondue

It was time to choose our dessert!  After looking over the list of chocolate fondues we chose:

• Dark & Dulce Chocolate Fondue (dark chocolate melted with dulce de leche and finished with sea salt served with fresh strawberries, blondies, bananas, pineapple, marshmallow treats, pound cake and brownies for dipping).

At the start of meal we had each ordered a glass of wine, and while we were waiting for our final course we decided to share another glass to finish up our meal.

It was not long before our chocolate fondue melting pot and accompaniments were delivered to our table.  Our server added a dash of sea salt to the chocolate and left the shaker with us in case we decided to add more.

At the beginning of the meal our server had asked if we were celebrating “an occasion”, and wished me a happy birthday when my daughter confirmed we were.

To top off the dessert course I was presented with a complementary chocolate covered strawberry!  Needless to say, both the chocolate fondue and my birthday strawberry were a taste treat.

Spending several hours dining at the Melting Pot is a wonderful way to celebrate an occasion, but you can also spend a lot less time and merely indulge in either the cheese or chocolate fondue.

See related blog posts: Fine Dining Restaurants in Sacramento  2020 Restaurant Review Recap

Comments on Melting Pot?

What is your favorite cheese or chocolate fondue?  Your favorite cooking style?  What would you add to my description?

Melting Pot Snapshot:

• 814 15^th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
• (916) 443-2347
• Hours: Monday-Thursday (4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.); Friday –Saturday (11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.); Sunday (11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
• Happy Hour: Monday – Friday (4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
• Reservations Recommended
• Parking Validation: Yes – 2 hours

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