"It was magic," Mitch recalls of the Village. They spotted a "for lease" sign on what had once been Lorie's Barbeque and then a Moroccan restaurant. It was an empty space with concrete floors and white walls--a clean slate--and they signed for it immediately.

They had stipulations. "We didn't want to be part of a day-to-day environment with restrictions," Mitch says. They wanted high quality and were committed to being unique. They let their imaginations fly. Gradually the white walls became draped in fabrics of jewel colors. Intimate dining booths were cloistered behind walls reminiscent of a medieval castle. "It has an almost spiritual, sanctuary feel to it." Neighbors were invited to become critics of the menu Mitch devised, and the idea of fondue was seen as propitious.

La Fondue opened quietly on Big Basin Way in December of 1992. Word spread. Soon it became a destination spot, a date place, a dining curiosity. By 2000, it had become a dining experience like no other.

Its success, of course, brought attention as well as criticism: diners must cook their own food and pay plenty for it, the wait seems endless, the food is not extraordinary. Still, "we turned away thousands," Mitch notes.

Today, in spite of the economic downturns that affected many of the up-scale clientele, reservations must be made two weeks in advance. Phones automatically record requests for tables but only during certain hours of the day. A computer counts up to 2,000 calls an evening and logs their location. Most come from Sunnyvale, Mountain View and San Jose. The Cutlers are now opening another La Fondue in San Juan Capistrano in January.

Food choices are unexpected. "What I like is wild game," Mitch says. The "wild" is actually farm-raised: ostrich and duck from Texas, buffalo from Wyoming, lamb from Australia--all delivered fresh in small quantities. "If we run out, that's it," he says with a shrug, noting competition for the mid-western black angus filets he offers makes it harder and more expensive to get.

An average meal runs $44. That includes a cheese fondue appetizer, salad, five choices of meat and sauces, chocolate fondue and a beverage. Diners are given thorough instructions on cooking from the 23-member wait staff who supply the table with color-coded fondue forks, table-sized grills and the cast iron pots for melting cheese and chocolate. In the kitchen, "cooking is methodized," Mitch says. All sauces and dressing are made according to a recipe. He admits his kitchen is no place for a creative chef. "Customers are doing all of their own cooking, but our accessories are consistent. We want that."

By 10 p.m. every evening, a line of up to 60 customers forms outside. Mainly it consists of young dating couples and groups who, for $8 each--on a first come-first served basis--can experience the fabled chocolate fondue dessert. Recently, the Cutlers were approached by a Korean outfit that wanted to create a giant chain with hundreds of fondue restaurants and make Mitch the director.

"They kept coming by over a period of weeks, picking my brain for information." Their promise to themselves to be unique, however, remains strong, and family interests are foremost. "Fondue and soccer. That's what we do," he says and smiles.

La Fondue is located at 14510 Big Basin Way in Saratoga. It is open daily for dinner. Call 408.867.3332 for hours. Reservations are held 15 minutes only.