Melting Pot

[tulsascoot]

I went for the first time and am unimpressed. Sure the food was good, but the experience is overrated. The prices are also inflated for what you get.

Dessert was awesome, though. The chocolate is the only thing I'd go back there for.

Does anyone else agree? Is the popularity all hype? Am I missing something?

I had a caesar salad swimming in dressing and topped with some kind of white shredded cheese. The chees fondues was good, but how hard is it to melt cheese with beer?

The meat course was good, but I can marinate meat and make it taste good. Cooking my own food was fun, but seemed largely a novelty. Next time I drop $35+ on dinner, I want a chef's personal touch in the cooking of it. I wish we'd gone to McGill's.

[cannon_fodder]

Ha!  I was there last night too.  I was at one of the tables near the front with the giant red decanter sitting on it.  A 5 top.

The food is very good IMHO.  Particularly the dessert, it is really worth the hype.  The wine selection is very fine.  But the prices are for an "experience" type of restaurant.   The meal will take 2 hours for a full 4 course meal (appetizer of cheese fondue, salad, main course(s), and dessert) - so they do not turn over tables very fast at all and have to compensate for the lost revenue.  Likewise, the food is not of cheap quality.  Can you get the same quality for less?  Sure you can, but it is not robbery given the quality of the food and the somewhat unique experience.

I can't say enough about the dessert though, I always leave over fill.

Last night I treated a table of 5 including a bottle of wine for just over $200.  It isn't a giveaway, but it won't break the bank as a rare treat either.  So I generally agree with your assessment with the caveat that though overpriced it is worth it every now and then if you want a nice slow meal that is a little different.

[Cats Cats Cats]

If you want to spend 2 or 3 hours eating then its the place for you!  We had 6 people last time I went and it took forever.  It might be a lot nicer with just 2 people.  But cooking the food yourself and paying double for it seems kind of dumb.  But you have to remember as well, another restaurant could go through 3 people in a night.  You are basically paying for the fact that you will be the only person at that table that night.  So you have to pay for the novelty of it all and the other 2-3 tables that aren't getting seated

-I guess that is why they have that disclaimer that somebody else posted something.

You can get just the dessert too BTW

[Conan71]

Ha!  I was there last night too.  I was at one of the tables near the front with the giant red decanter sitting on it.  A 5 top.

The food is very good IMHO.  Particularly the dessert, it is really worth the hype.  The wine selection is very fine.  But the prices are for an "experience" type of restaurant.   The meal will take 2 hours for a full 4 course meal (appetizer of cheese fondue, salad, main course(s), and dessert) - so they do not turn over tables very fast at all and have to compensate for the lost revenue.  Likewise, the food is not of cheap quality.  Can you get the same quality for less?  Sure you can, but it is not robbery given the quality of the food and the somewhat unique experience.

I can't say enough about the dessert though, I always leave over fill.

Last night I treated a table of 5 including a bottle of wine for just over $200.  It isn't a giveaway, but it won't break the bank as a rare treat either.  So I generally agree with your assessment with the caveat that though overpriced it is worth it every now and then if you want a nice slow meal that is a little different.

Now I see how I fit in your priorities amongst friends.  I always get the invites to Joe Mommas, not The Melting Pot.  But there again, how many other people get to sample your fine home brew?  Okay, all is forgiven.

[nathanm]

I think the Melting Pot is great, but then I think they make all sorts of mean cheese fondues (they had one with chorizo for a while..it was the best, IMO). The one in Jenks has intermittent issues with the help, though. It's not as good as some of the others I've been to. My biggest complaint is that they seem to have serious difficulty with the whole reservation thing. Until recently, they couldn't seat a party within 15 minutes of their reservation time to save their lives. It's gotten better, though.

One other thing I like about it is the variety. You can get a plate with steak, fish, shrimp, and chicken, so you're not stuck with one particular meat. And you can cook (or undercook) to your personal satisfaction.

I probably go there four or five times a year. It's a bit of a tradition.

I think it's sort of like teppanyaki. It's nice every once in a while, but a bit silly if you're going every week.

[wordherder]

I'll agree that, as an experience, it's pricey but worth it for an interesting change once a year or so if you've got the time.  Unless you want to pop in just for an extravagant dessert... then it's quicker, cheaper and oh so good.

[Caldera]

The hubby and I have been there a few times, the last time with our 13 yr old.  Honestly, while the food and wine list are really good, you're absolutely paying for the "experience".  My hubby laughs and says that it's the only restaurant around where you pay extra to cook your own food.  What's worse is that he's right. 

We've decided that the dessert fondue is the best part, and next time we'll go just for that, and to stroll along the river walk.

If you've never tried it...go ahead, because it's fun to try new stuff!  Just make sure to bring about $60-$100 for a couple, depending on what you're  drinking!

[nathanm]

My hubby laughs and says that it's the only restaurant around where you pay extra to cook your own food.

I think that observation is lacking, although I've heard it many times. You're paying for both the experience and, to a greater degree, their doing the annoying parts of cooking for you. (that and the insurance) If I had someone to prep and clean up at my house whenever I wanted to cook, I'd cook three meals a day. The cooking is the easy and fun part.