Kids Review: The Melting Pot

Lily Schaeffer is one of our junior reporters. She in the sixth grade and lives in Darien.

How many times have you wished you could try something new and different for dinner but you didn’t know where to go or what to get?  The solution is fondue! You can get freshly grated and melted cheese fondue or rich delectable chocolate fondue for dessert at a restaurant right in Darien, The Melting Pot is located at 14 Grove Street.  At The Melting Pot, you will arrive to a beautiful flowing fountain right outside the door and enter the restaurant to find a welcoming modern atmosphere perfect for a chilly fall night.  The friendly staff will greet you and fill you in on the menu options (we chose lightly spiced cheddar fondue).  Another exciting feature is  after you have ordered, your food will be thrillingly made right before you eyes at your table.  You can sit back and dip delectable tidbits in strategically made melted cheese.   Did I mention the dippable items come in a bottomless supply? 

Close your eyes and imagine a slight chill swooshes by your arms, which are tightly covered up by your warm fall coat.  You inhale the smell of maple syrup and falling leaves as you walk along the dimly light sidewalk. Up ahead you see a stunningly eye-catching fountain with water delicately flowing out of its bronzy-red pipes.  You imagine yourself throwing all your worries in the fountain.  The fountain is right next to a door leading to a restaurant you are going to tonight, The Melting Pot.  You swing open the door and are absolutely astonished by the autumn themed modern restaurant you see before you.  You hear the quiet clinking of plates and people chattering quietly and happily.  This is the perfect place to snack on a unique meal of fondue.  This is what you will see, hear, and smell if you take a look around at the Melting Pot’s Décor, it truly is the perfect place for a fall dinner with friends or family.  My aunt visited from Spokane, Washington and she said, “we don’t have anything like this in Spokane.  I love the built in heaters on the table.  It is classy!”  It is also a perfect place to go to if you feel your stocked to the brim with worries and problems because once you walk through the door, the glowing fall feel to the restaurant will send them far, far away. 

The Melting Pot has great décor and you will probably be ready for a relaxing, and interesting meal once you step through the door.  However, looks aren’t everything and in this situation the Melting Pot does not disappoint.  Fortunately, the staff at the Melting Pot is reliable and as my Mom said, “The uniqueness of the staff equally matches the uniqueness of the food and The Melting Pot decor.”  In addition to being fondue lovers, the staff have to know how to mix the perfect amount of ingredients and how to quickly light and put out a fire right on someone’s table top.  The reliable staff will never leave you a long time to wait on anything and have noteworthy and interesting personalities.  

So, you have seen the extraordinary interior and exterior of the Melting Pot and you have met the dependable and interesting staff but the true mission of going out to dinner is, of course, eating really good food, and the Melting Pot goes above and beyond accomplishing that mission.   They make popular, yet unique mouthwatering food right in front of you and you don’t even have to leave your cushiony booth.  At the Melting Pot, you will typically have a luxurious four-course meal.  After choosing a drink from their large drink menu, you can begin the with the cheese course.   You will get to snack on different snacks that are completely blanketed with mouth watering melted cheese.  At this point you think you will never eat again or at least not eat in the next forty-eight hours, but then the waitstaff comes over with a tray and they swiftly put down a pot and stir, mix, and pour everything together based on your personal choice of broths.  Even if you think you will decline, soon the scent of freshly made broth dashes to your nose and you can’t help yourself and you dig in. 

Even if you didn’t save room for dessert, once your eyes take in the tray of brownies, marshmallows, chocolate covered marshmallows, juicy ripe strawberries, and soft flavorful banana slices, you won’t be able to resist.  Guess what you do with these already completely sweet and sugary desserts?  You coat them in rich creamy chocolate (we chose s’more chocolate fondue, but we also like the ying and yang chocolate fondue).  I bet you’re guessing that you will never be able to eat all of this in a night, but trust me, you will!  If cheese is not your thing, the Melting Pot also offers many healthy and energizing salads including house salad, chicken salad, and green garden salad.  At the Melting Pot even the pickiest eaters will put this restaurant on their top five lists just for their wide variety of very unique food.

The Melting Pot, has appealing fiery autumn themed décor, a devoted and well-trained staff, and, of course, food that will make everyone from kids to groups of adults happy.  If you would like to spend an hour or two at this modern restaurant, dial 203-656-4774 to make a reservation.  The Melting Pot can also help you with your next birthday/family and will give you that special service to make it a memorable night.  Almost everyone falls in love with the fresh food and the excitement of its preparation and the dessert is amazing!  The Melting Pot has been open since 2005, but every time you go, it will feel like a whole new exciting experience.   You will never get this life-lasting experience unless you dine at The Melting Pot so call 203-656-4774 right now!