Melting Pot, Seattle
By Dan Larsen, for SeattleInsider.com
Originally published by Cox Interactive Media

Utilizing a curious mix of plush booth elegance and industrial spaciousness, this national fondue restaurants chain has created a unique and relaxing ambiance in its Seattle's wing.

The no-frills, bare-ducts ceiling hangs high above this two-level restaurant while patrons relax in the big, comfy booths below, sharing from the belt-busting assortments of fondue-based dishes that are served piping hot at each table.

The sizeable menu includes almost every dipping combination of cheese and savory oils possible. From the Twin Lobster Tails (served with a garlic dijon butter, sherried au poivre sauce and basil pesto) to the Pacific Rim (tender, marinated teriyaki sirloin, shrimp, peppered tenderloin, breast of duck and more, with a tasty Thai peanut and ginger plum sauces), all the way up to the Flaming Turtle, a disgustingly rich and flavorful mixture of chocolate, caramel and chopped nuts, flambéd at your table.

The service is friendly and generally efficient, but with so many tables spread out across two floors, the staff sometimes seem overwhelmed (we heard no less than five sheepish apologies from the atypically ditzy server on one visit). To soak up the wait for either a booth or your entree, order one of their well-sized and decently-priced appetizers to pick at. Or, if you're in a hurry or simply don't have the hollow legs required to put away any of the entrees, just stick with an appetizer and a dessert. That often makes for a big enough meal in itself. Most appetizers come with a zesty selection of dripping fruits and vegetables and a variety of bread chunks, from French to pumpernickel.

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