©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Dip into Melting Pot for cheesy food, quiet rooms
by LEN LEAR

Customers dip their food into heated fondue pots on the table at The Melting Pot.

One of the most unfortunate restaurant trends of recent years is the increasingly unbearable noise level (at least for me) at more and more dining establishments. Part of it may be subjective because we become more sensitive to noise as we get older, but part of it is also objective. Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan takes along an instrument that measures the decibel level in a room at any given time; any number higher than 70 decibels is considered unpleasant and uncomfortable, and most of the busy restaurants LaBan has reviewed have measured higher than 70, some higher than 100.

I have eaten at some area restaurants, such as Ralph’s in South Philadelphia, Buddakan in Old City, Liberties in Northern Liberties and Roller’s in Chestnut Hill (now closed), where I was actually feeling physical pain because of the supersonic noise level; as much as I liked the food at all of them, I had no desire to return. Some restaurateurs have even told me that they consider this unbearable noise a plus (at least for them). They say the “buzz” makes younger customers, in particular, feel they are in a ‘hot,’ trendy place where they get ‘off’ on being seen. For me it’s torture. I’d rather be seen and not heard. I’ve tried ear plugs, but they don’t help much.

As a result, I am delighted to go to a restaurant that is practically empty. If there are no other customers besides us, so much the better. Thus, I was pleased when four of us celebrating my brother’s 72nd birthday on Friday night, June 16, were seated in one of several rooms at The Melting Pot, the seven-month-old fondue restaurant at 1219 Filbert St., one-half block from the Reading Terminal Market and Pennsylvania Convention Center. That’s because only two other tables in the dining room were occupied at the time.

“I hope no one else comes in,” I said to myself.

Then an amazing thing happened. The room filled up until every table was occupied, and I still could not hear any noise emanating from the other tables. Only once during the entire evening, when three diners at a nearby table laughed explosively, was I conscious of any noise. It contributed significantly to a delightful evening. (I know nothing about acoustics and have no idea how the Melting Pot is able to suppress the noise, but I wish that every restaurant was required to learn how they do it.)

For those not familiar with it, The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., is the nation’s largest fondue restaurant franchise. Founded in 1975, the company opened its 100th restaurant last December in Pasadena, California. There is also one in Chestnut Hill, and later this year the third one in the Delaware Valley will open in the King of Prussia Mall.

Eating the melted cheese dish of fondue — and dipping all kinds of other foods into the cheese — is a Swiss tradition. Apparently this style of cooking was the product of thrifty Swiss cow herders who spent long hours in the snow-covered pastures of the Alps with sparse provisions but an always-ready supply of cheese. (Fondue means “to melt” in French.)

There are numerous menu options at The Melting Pot. We chose the “Big Night Out,” a four-course feast of dionysian dimensions priced at $84 for two. The entree course alone featured a gigantic plate of savory medallions of filet mignon, black tiger shrimp, chicken, teriyaki sirloin and much more. With skewers, each piece is dipped into the hot pot for about two minutes, then topped with one of six different sauces (curry, horseradish, green goddess, etc.).

The chocolate fondue desserts are a sensuous exclamation point to the meal. There is a huge list of wines and cocktails, many reasonable priced, and there is an extraordinarily flavorful white Belgian beer, Blue Moon, which blew us away.

The seating at The Melting Pot is in very comfortable banquettes, and there are a few private, romantic tables away from the dining rooms.

The general manager at The Melting Pot in center city, Kimberley Shafran, at one time was a server at Chili’s in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, where she waited on a man named Charlie LaRosa every Sunday. “For a long time I did not even know what his job was, but he was the nicest guy you could ever meet” said Kemberley, who found out he was the owner of The Melting Pot in Chestnut Hill.

Shafran untimately was hired by LaRosa and was trained at The Melting Pot in Chestnut Hill. “I really am very lucky,” said Kimberley, whose family is from Israel, “because this company is so great to work for. It’s a real family affair for me. A waitress here, Rachel, is marrying my brother, Erik, who also works here now. He will be the general manager at the next Melting Pot in King of Prussia.”

For me, the only negative aspect of eating at The Melting Pot in center city or any other restaurant in its neighborhood is the lack of affordable parking. There is a garage above the restaurant, but they were charging a ridiculous $23 for the evening. The closest garage I could find with a somewhat reasonable price was on the south side of Sansom Street, just west of 13th Street, for $12 (plus tip, of course). For more information, call 215-922-7002 or visit www.meltingpot.com.