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Cheese Fondue at The Melting Pot, Photo: Angie Sommer

If you have not been to The Melting Pot for one occasion or another, pencil it in for your next birthday, anniversary, or any other day because this is a must-eat in San Mateo.

The Melting Pot has locations in 37 states, and it's obvious why: professionally formulated melted cheese can draw quite a crowd, and seems to leave everyone wanting more.

As your Melting Pot adventure begins, you may find the menu to be a bit confusing.  There are a selection of four-course set meals, a generous wine and cocktails list, and then the general menu listing cheese fondues, salads, and entrees.  It is unclear if patrons are to choose one cheese, one salad, and one entree, or if they may just mix and match bits and pieces of whatever they want.  It turns out that you may order whatever you choose--if you want 2 cheese fondues and no entrees, you can do that (and save a few bucks; the entrees are expensive!).

The Melting Pot is not cheap.  If you did choose to order one fondue, a salad, and an entree for each person, expect to pay about $42 per person, not including tax or tip, or, more importantly, dessert.  Dessert has its own menu at The Melting Pot, and it seems to deserve it.  Add another $9-18 onto the bill per person for a pot of melted chocolate swirled with peanut butter, bananas, caramel, or marshmallows (you'll be thankful afterward, rest assured).  Throw in another $10 per person for a couple beers or a specialty cocktail, and you're easily shelling out $70 or more per diner, all told.

Once you're over the price of the meal, you can (hopefully) enjoy what you're paying for.  After all, they are still in business for a reason.  There are six choices of fondues, five salads, and a dozen or so entrees to choose from and they are all fabulous.  If you find it hard to imagine how anyone could eat a pot of cheese, a salad, and a meat or veggie entree, followed by another steaming pot of melted chocolate, go ahead and cut back on one or two of the courses and spend your dough on the real specialties: melted things in pots. 

Cheese fondues come with an assortment of bread chunks, apples, and veggies, and each pot is made to serve 1-2 people.  The Cheddar Cheese Fondue is beer-based, while the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue is wine based, though it's impossible to pick a favorite between the two. 

The dessert fondues come in two sizes, though the larger size is highly recommended if you are dining with more than two people, and especially if anyone's got a sweet tooth.  The Chocolate S'mores Fondue swirls marshmallow cream with milk chocolate and prompts patrons to whip our their cameras as the waiter flambes the whole pot into a heavenly concoction reminiscent of campfires and chocolate bars.  Top it off with graham cracker crumbles and watch as your fellow patrons melt with joy while they dip strawberries, bananas, brownies, cheesecake, marshmallows, angel food cake, and Rice Krispie squares into the perfect chocolate goo. 

It is no understatement to say that a Melting Pot dessert may be the very best thing you've ever eaten.  So, when you weigh it all out, you can see that they've clearly worked their hardest to make it worth your while to spend your cash on melty, delicious foods at The Melting Pot.

Also, don't forget to buy your Melting Pot coupons on Restaurant.com before you go!

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