DIY dining

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

Most weeks Nancy cooks six out of seven days. I’m very lucky to be married to a great cook. She can be fancy (beef bourguignon), comforting (homemade chicken noodle soup), and old school (German rouladens). What better way to show my appreciation for all of her hard work than to take her to a restaurant where you have to cook your own food. This DIY restaurant is the Melting Pot in Schaumburg.

It is a very trendy upscale fondue restaurant located at the corner of a strip mall. It has that modern Chicago loft feel where you expect waiters to sport man hair buns. The décor with the hardwood flooring, giant black and white photographs of Chicago hanging on the walls, and subdued lighting makes it an elegant place to relax, enjoy the ambiance, and eat till your stomach feels like it is going to explode.

We decided on their Best of Melting Pot 4-Course Dinner for Two ($115). This includes an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert.

For our Cheese Fondue appetizer, we chose their Wisconsin Cheddar. This was made with aged cheddar, Emmenthaler, Sam Adams lager, and garlic. We were given a tray of pretzel bread bites, baguette bites, carrots, celery, apple, broccoli, and kalamata olives for dipping. This was a great start to the meal, and we wiped the fondue pot clean with the chunks of bread.

Course Two, Salads. We chose the Bacon Parmesan Ranch which consisted of mixed greens, bacon, shredded parmesan, croutons, peppercorn ranch dressing, and parmesan dusted pine nuts. This is one of the few times Jim actually enjoyed his salad since it had bacon in it.

Next decision, pick our “Cooking Style.” We chose their Traditional Oil served with a seasoned batter and panko crumbs.

On to the Main Course. We had a choice of six entrees and of course Nancy chose the “Create Your Own” option. We each could have had our own selections, but I also wanted what she was having. Our choices for the entree were shrimp, herb chicken breast, and teriyaki steak. This was served with six different dipping sauces, sriracha aioli, gorgonzola, teriyaki, yogurt curry, green goddess, and pepper jelly sauce. Also, the entrée came with potatoes, zucchini, and mushroom caps. We switched out the zucchini for broccoli.

Now the fun begins… You stab your food with a fondue fork and fight for position in the pot of boiling oil. A “search and rescue” spoon is provided for any items missing in action. The panko breadcrumbs are a delicious addition to the chicken if sprinkled on before cooking. It was an unexpected delight, especially when you dip it in the pepper jelly sauce after cooking.

If all of this food was not enough, now comes dessert. We chose the Caramel Turtle which was milk chocolate melted with caramel and topped with candied pecans. They brought us a tray of pound cake, blondies, brownies, Rice Krispie treats, strawberries and grapes. By this time, I was in a food induced coma, but Jim rose to the occasion and accepted the challenge. I only had two grapes and three pieces of strawberry; the moron ate almost everything else.

This is a great place for a date night or a leisurely meal with friends. We love it, and if you never had fondue, you should try it.

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.

The price of our DIY meal was $138.32, not being scalded by the boiling oil, priceless…

Jim’s take: Here’s a tip for you. Stuff the mushroom caps with the green goddess, dip it in the batter, and into the oil. Yum…

Nancy’s take: My favorite course is the cheese. More cheese please!

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at thediningduo@gmail.com.

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