Dinner with Kids at The Melting Pot in Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri

As a special treat for our girls we decided to splurge on dinner at The Melting Pot in Country Club Plaza.   While you do see children in the restaurant, you don’t see many.  I made our reservation online and mentioned that we were bringing our daughters, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to the hostess.  I’m not sure if the reservation notes were passed on to her as our reception was less than warm and she practically sneered, “Are you going to need booster chairs?”  (Which I had requested on the reservation form.)

Thankfully our experience improved shortly after.  We were seated by a very friendly girl and our waiter was very kind.

If you haven’t been to the Melting Pot before the tables- even those in the bar area- are equipped with a burner in the center of the table (large group table have two).  This is where your fondue pot sits and it gets very hot.

Note: Don’t dress too warmly; with all those hot pots the rooms are very warm!

You make your selection for the menu.  You can order individual courses- cheese, entree or dessert or you can order the “feast” which includes all three courses plus a salad.  The “Feast for 2″ is large and easily fed our family.

A wide range of beverages are available and the wine list is extensive.  We ordered the Moscato D Asti, a lovely sparkling wine, and the girls had lemonade.

The fondue feast begins with your choice of cheese served with chunks of fresh bread, crisp vegetables and apple slices. Your server will mix and melt the fondue at your table.

As I expected, Brenna enjoyed dipping her food.  Caelan, however, was entranced by the steam rising from the pot and her fondue “fork”.

Next on the menu is the salad course.  It’s the only thing you don’t fondue; but don’t think it’s an afterthought.  They make a great salad!

Now for the entree!  Again, you can choose your entree; choices include cuts of sirloin, marinated chicken, tender filet, shrimp, and lobster.  An Alpine special was being served during our visit so we ordered it.  It included ravioli and bratwurst as well.

Also served with your entree is a (bottomless) vegetable medley of potatoes, broccoli and mushroom caps.  Everything is cooked in your choice of bouillon.  The vegetables take longer to cook than the meat, so I suggest adding them first.  A variety of sauces are also served to enhance the flavors of your meats.

This was probably the most difficult time of the meal with the girls.  They are used to food coming to the table completely prepared.   Again, Caelan bided her time by “playing” with the steam.

After you’ve finished your feast it is time for dessert!  The chocolate fondue is so wonderful that many people will come later in the evening to sit in the bar, have a drink and order dessert.  (This is also a great way to get the experience and save some money.)

There are a few different chocolate combinations but we always choose the “Original”, a mix of chocolate and peanut butter.  Dessert fondue is served with slices of apple and banana, chunks of Rice Krispy Treats, brownies, and pound cake, a slice of cheesecake and marshmallows coated in Oreo or graham cracker crumbs.  If you prefer a certain dipper- our favorites are the marshmallows- you can ask for more.

Overview

This is a great restaurant for a romantic evening but only rates “ok” for families with young children.  Dining here is a time consuming “experience” and is an expensive dining option ($85 for the “feast for 2″).  My advice:  Eat dinner elsewhere and come in for dessert.

That said, we enjoyed our evening and Brenna wants to come again to “poke food and cook it”.

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