By: Dan I. Cook

Any person who is in love and has heard of the Melting Pot wants to take that special person there because you know if you do, it should end happily ever after.

You would have to be a real jerk not to capitalize on the sexy ambiance that breathes through this joint. This is why I’m no different than anyone else when I go. I’ve been here for Valentine’s, Mother’s, and birthdays. Each time, I’ve enjoyed myself and never really thought about going back until the next celebration, until now.

Off the grid: no phones

There is a first for everything, and I’ve never been here without celebrating something. Going here just for dinner? Now, if you have eaten here, you know there is no way to rush through a meal. If you order all of the courses, It takes a while to eat them all. So I decided to experiment: we would put our phones away once my wife and I entered the doors. The only exception was for me to take pictures for this review. I have been so tied to my damn phone to put this device away has become foreign to me.

Face to face conversations have become such a lost art. The Melting Pot is the perfect place to rediscover what is important. Good conversation and great food.”

The Melting Pot is the perfect place to go off the grid, even for 90 minutes. First off, it’s like being on vacation. The lights are dimmed, and the decor has a cozy chalet feel. It has a sexy feel.

So the phones are away, what do we do now? My wife and I start laughing. We grab each other’s hands and start talking and talking and talking. Our conversation would be broken up with some interaction with the server. Man, I felt good and relaxed. Face-to-face conversations have become such a lost art. The Melting Pot is the perfect place to rediscover what is essential. Good conversation and great food.

The food

So we ordered the gorgonzola, cheddar, and bacon cheese appetizer, the summer boil with extra snow crab claws, and a banana split chocolate dessert. Gorgonzola cheese has that nice spicy kick that I love. It’s milder than a blue cheese, which makes it easy to enjoy with the bacon and other cheeses. You get all the standard components to dip in this cheese bath of love, such as green apples, cauliflower, carrots, breads, and broccoli. My favorites are the apples and cauliflower. The green apples give it that tartness that matches the punch-in-the-face the cheese and bacon give you. Cheese and raw cauliflower were made for each other. Cauliflower has a nutty taste, which is why eating it raw and covered with cheese is a thing of beauty.

The summer boil has all the ingredients of an old-fashioned Cajun seafood boil. The only difference is the subtle beef broth. Once the Old Bay Seasoning is added to the boil, it comes alive. They will add and subtract as much Old Bay as they want; I told them I want all of it and some cayenne pepper on the side. So go the potatoes, the corn on the cob, and the andouille sausage. I let that cook and take some swigs of my cold beer. I sit back with the smell of the Old Bay floating in the air, which smells like summer. If you have ever been to an authentic crab boil in Mississippi or New Orleans, you know what I’m talking about.

Next in are the scallops and crab claws that are cracked to expose that delicious meat. The cooking time is fast. I take them out and sprinkle more Old Bay on top. I dip them in the hot butter and go to town. Damn, this is food heaven. I repeat this process with the shrimp. I’m letting the corn and potatoes soak in the broth. I eat them last. My only gripe would be that the corn needs to be cut thicker. They were only cut about one inch thick. Beyond that, I thought the amount of food was worth the price. Plus, they will bring out more veggies at no cost when requested.

My wife ordered the banana split chocolate dessert. Exchange the ice cream with a bowl of chocolate, and you have a re-imagined banana split. Inside the bowl of warm milk chocolate, they slice up bananas, put in some walnuts, and top it with whipped cream and a cherry. They then provide pieces of angel food cake, more bananas, and rice crispy treats. Marshmallows and strawberries. Decadent is the only way to describe this dessert.

The Management

Around six years ago, I met manager Randy Nutt while eating here. He is a true professional, and it didn’t hurt that his son is a Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He always stopped by our table to check on our experience, and this was long before I started writing reviews. I met Randy and his wife Claudia when The Cook and Cork opened because we both frequented that restaurant.

While chatting, Randy would mention the special promotions that the Melting Pot would have. He loves good bourbon, and they have a premium tasting event several times a year. I decided to get on the Melting Pot email list and was pleasantly surprised to learn about all the specials they run and how they host many fundraising events.

Around three weeks ago, I ran into Randy and told him I saw the email about his restaurant’s summer specials. It’s a crab boil with snow crab claws, andouille sausage, sea scallops, shrimp, and seafood ravioli. I told him I was going to stop by. I’m sure he wasn’t holding his breath for me to show up.

Two weeks go by, and I’m looking at Facebook, and I see the Coral Springs Melting Pot Facebook page has a contest posted. It states that if you come on Wednesday or Thursday and tell the server what a “Shandy” is, you get Happy Hour drinks all night. By the way, a Shandy is a beer mixed with lemonade or a soda. I’m a professional beer drinker, so knowing the answer to the question was a joke. I started thinking Randy was speaking to me through this post without ignoring it. He is saying, “Come in, Dan, come in.” So I did. Both Wednesday and Thursday.

I answered the question and posted a message on Facebook that Dan I Cook has arrived. Guess who saw my post? Randy. He was off and sitting at the Cook and the Cork. I got a good chuckle out of that. So, low and behold, Randy later walks in, says hello, and thanks me for coming by. How great is that?

Verdict

I have never had bad food or service here. Never. I’m going to start looking at this restaurant in a different light. It’s just not for celebrations. I know it’s not cheap, and great experiences like this shouldn’t be cheap. But you can go during happy hour and get cheese and chocolate fondue for five bucks a person with discounted drinks. The bar has two hot plates; you can nibble and drink there.

Most importantly, put away your electronic devices and talk. Enjoy the company of the person you are with, and talk about current events, each other, your families, and things you enjoy. The Melting Pot of Coral Springs is the best restaurant to get back to the basics of life and enjoy an outstanding meal.

Remember to tell Randy that Dan and Coral Springs Talk sent you and Stay Hungry! Four Beers.

The Melting Pot Coral Springs
10374 W Sample Rd
Coral Springs, FL 33065
Phone: 954-755-6368

Monday-Thursday:
4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Friday-Saturday:
4 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday:
12 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Happy Hour: M-F:
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Author Profile

Dan Cook

A native of Broward, Half-Samoan Half-Irish or Afa Tasi, Food Warrior, Beer Ninja, United States Marine, owner/talent of danicookeatdrink.com. Retired Oakland Park Police Department/BSO Sergeant, DLE.