Walking into Melting Pot, I was greeted with a wonderful and attentive host for the night. Candles were set, lights were out and wine glasses ready. This place knows how to set an atmosphere. My belly was ready.
Margarita
Tequila, Cointreau and Lime juice with a rim of salt. How else do you get your meal started?
Buttermilk Squid with Harissa Mayo ($10)
Deep fried. Seafood. Mayo. I was surprised to see the whole squid but I’m not complaining! The mayo had a great spicy kick to keep things interesting.
Crispy Duck w/ Hoisin Dipping Sauce ($14)
I was expecting slices of duck with a crispy skin but they really meant crispy duck! The duck had the texture of crackers and worked really well with the just slightly sweet hoisin sauce.
Spiced Lamb Skewers marinated in garlic and served with tzatziki ($14)
As Janice on Friends would vocalise – “OHHHH MYYYY GAWWWD” describes this dish pretty accurately. The heat from the spice, the soft juicy lamb, the garlic, the tzatziki, the lemon and oh everything just worked together so well I was tempted to order a second helping.
Pan Seared Scallops and Chorizo w/ Rocket and Lemon Oil Drizzle ($16)
This dish was another absolute favourite of mine. The smokey spice of the chorizo, the seared scallops and the nutty rocket all combined with a hint of lemon was absolutely divine.
Pulled Pork Nachos w/ pineapple salsa ($10)
I’ve never seen nachos so delicately displayed. I usually eat them by the handful topped with astronomical amounts of cheese. This was the most sophisticated older brother of the nachos we’re familiar with. The flavour of the spicy smokey pork and sweet pineapple balanced well on the chip.
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder ($30)
The lamb was marinated in master stock with horseradish cream and understandably took a bit longer to be served but I do feel that it would have been more beneficial for the dish to cook for a bit longer. Texture wise, the lamb did not quite reach the stage of falling off the bone, something I hoped for but the rich flavours were definitely present.
Mash desire with side of port place ($8)
Oh so creamy and smooth. Such a simple dish with everyone’s favourite carb but done so well. This is the kind of stuff that makes you crave for the good old potato mash.
Wild Mushrooms sautéed with garlic and thyme ($8)
Mushrooms and butter, how can you go wrong? The dish was aromatic with the garlic and thyme as promised. Another simple dish but also really enjoyable.
Melting Pot Bar & Bistro
10 Brown St,
Chatswood, NSW 2067
Contributed by Katrina, who dined as a guest on behalf of 2 Hungry Guys
Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder. Love it.