When I think of  Lady and the Tramp, my mind immediately goes straight to the “Spaghetti Kiss” outside of Tony’s Italian restaurant where the cute pups enjoy their first date. Well… that and the Siamese cat scene. 

This year, Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio Store in Hollywood is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a very special candlelight dinner where you can engage in your own spaghetti kiss, if you please…

My family and I headed to Hollywood on a family “Valentine’s Day” date night to check it out.

Atmosphere

The first thing I noticed was the adorable set up. The decor included red and white table cloths, candlelight, and even bread sticks. Just like the movie. Disney even added an extra touch, a single red rose in a vase.

The atmosphere was so nice. The Soda Fountain was actually closed to the public for the 1.5 hours that the dinner took place, so we literally had the place to ourselves.

Lovely music, including tracks from Lady and the Tramp, played while we ate; and the cast members were so attentive. And as an added bonus while we enjoyed our soup and salad? A very special visitor went table to table greeting guests and posing for pictures.

Eats

Dinner consisted of 3 courses: soup or salad, entree, and dessert. Drinks were also included. Entrees were chosen ahead of time, so it was really nice to pick soup or salad and then have your choice entree magically appear before you.

Because there were four of us, we were able to try everything on the night’s menu.  We started with salad, soup, and warm-out-of-the-oven dinner rolls. My husband had the green salad with ranch and I ordered the Italian.

I have to say, I was actually quite impressed. The last salad I had at the Soda Fountain consisted mostly of iceberg lettuce; this time, the lettuce was a dark green blend that included shredded carrots and cabbage and seemed much more fresh. Each salad was topped with three cherry tomatoes.

Because our boys are neither soup nor salad lovers, my husband and I got to try both. The soup of the evening was minestrone. It was served up piping hot in a generously sized bowl. The soup was full of noodles, veggies, and just the right spices. I really enjoyed it, AFTER I let it cool down for a while!

While we enjoyed our salad and soup, we also had a fresh basket of warm dinner rolls at the table. They were light and fluffy, perfect for soup dipping!

The dinner ran flawlessly. Our drinks were constantly being topped off, we were asked how everything was or if we needed anything on a regular basis, and as soon as we were done with one course, the next was brought right out. 

After our soup, salad and bread service, it was time for the entrees. There were four different options for the evening: Meat Lasagna, Mushroom Ravioli, Spaghetti with Meatballs, and Chicken Cordon Bleu. Each item was served with a side of veggies, and the Chicken Cordon Bleu included a baked potato as well. 

We had one of each at our table and enjoyed playing musical plates. I started with the Lasagna. When it was first set down, I knew I’d love it, because I noticed a layer of one of my favorite foods of all time on top: burnt cheese. My husband is also a lasagna fan, so when he saw me eying it I got the “You’d better save some of that for me!” lecture from him. He knew I’d eat it all. 

The lasagna was really quite delicious; in fact it was my favorite of the four entrees. The noodles on the top and bottom were a hard while the inner was soft and mushy, just how I like it! The layers of cheese and meat were perfectly proportioned.

My husband started with the Mushroom Ravioli. It came with the sauce on the side, which was nice because you could control your own sauce:ravioli ratio! OR, if you were with picky eaters (aka children), they could go sauceless. 

Neither myself nor my husband are big mushroom fans, so I am happy to report that the mushroom in this ravioli was not at all overpowering. If you ARE a big mushroom fan, you may have been disappointed; but we were pleasantly surprised and felt that the cheese & mushroom mix was done just right. The sauce was also very flavorful. It reminded me more of a fresh tomato sauce than a typical “spaghetti” sauce.

Next up is the Chicken Cordon Bleu. This was my second favorite entree of the night. A plump chicken breast filled with melty Swiss cheese and ham, served with a baked potato and all the fixin’s. 

It had been a long time since I had Chicken Cordon Bleu, at least a few years, so I was excited to get this dish back into my life! The chicken was nice and moist and the cheese was melted to perfection. Also, who doesn’t love a baked potato with butter, sour cream, and chives?

The last entree was the Spaghetti with Meatballs. I did get a bite, but this meal was basically reserved for my picky boys who aren’t huge Italian food lovers (unless it’s pizza or spaghetti). 

They do love meatballs, so I also did not get to try those!  However, I will attest that they were eaten completely, so this means it was given two thumbs up. 

The Soda Fountain uses whole wheat spaghetti and sauce that was very kid friendly, yet not lacking in taste. The portion was quite large, so my boys shared the spaghetti while my husband and I split the other three entrees!

Being that we were at a Lady and the Tramp dinner, a “spaghetti kiss” was a must before our plates were taken away and dessert was brought out.  My seven year old was my kissing partner!

Now, onto that “Sweetheart Sundae!”  Because my son had “spied” on the kitchen during a potty run, he told us — quite excitedly — that there were brownies being prepared in the back. SO, we knew we were getting some sort of brownie ice cream treat! 

What we didn’t know is how clever it was going to be.  A raspberry sauce “paw print” below a heart shaped brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and three fresh raspberries. Just adorable. A paw print! What a fun way to incorporate the whole Lady and the Tramp theme.

The sauce was a little sweet, but that didn’t stop me from eating it. If the paw print were hot fudge or caramel, I probably would’ve licked my plate clean.  I did however eat every bite; but I think as far as kids go, fudge might have been a better option. Or maybe that’s just me and my picky kids! 

The brownie was perfection. Crisp edges, but soft, moist, and chewy on the inside. It was topped with powdered sugar for an extra little sweet kick. The vanilla ice cream was the perfect complement, and those raspberries on top were a nice treat!

Specs
The special Valentine’s Day dinner ran for a limited number of nights this past weekend through Valentine’s Day.  Reservations were required and the event was completely sold out each night. 

The way this event worked is that you could attend just dinner or add the cost of the movie onto your dinner ticket. The dinner itself was $27 per person and included the meal, drinks, dessert, a visit from Mickey, excellent customer service, and the ladies were sent home with the red rose that adorned the table. 

We were very lucky to attend the movie afterwards, which is either an $11 (General Admission) or $22 (VIP — included reserved seating, a souvenir popcorn bucket, and a drink).

Movie

After dinner we got to head straight into the El Capitan Theatre to see Lady and the Tramp on the big screen. Mickey came out for a little song and dance to introduce the film, which included a pre-show cartoon of the classic Disney short, Puppy Love, starring Mickey and Minnie.

Neither my husband or boys had seen Lady and the Tramp before, so I was so excited for them to see one of my all time favorites. I am happy to report that even my “too cool” 10 year old enjoyed it. 

A great family film with characters that will make you smile from ear to ear, the movie looked beautiful in its restored version. Crisp and clear, but still true to the original without any 3D craziness that seems to be the current trend. If you haven’t seen Lady and the Tramp in a while, I strongly recommend grabbing the DVD while it’s available. I bought mine, and now I can watch the Siamese cats scene whenever I want!

Overall

My entire family was very impressed with the entire Lady and the Tramp experience. The food prepared at Disney’s Soda Fountain was great, and the ambiance was just perfect. I have to say that I really hope these special events continue.  They are so much fun and make for great family memories. A BIG thank you goes out to Disney for inviting my family to partake in this amazing evening.

Lady and the Tramp runs at The El Capitan through February 16th. If you’re in the area, drop by. If not, run out and grab the DVD before Disney puts it back in the “vault!”

Have you been to any special events at the El Capitan or Disney’s Soda Fountain? How do you feel about a “Family” Valentine’s Day Date?

Thanks to Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio Store for the invite to this great event! The Disney Food Blog was not obligated to report on or review this event, but we’re sure glad we got the chance to do so! See our disclosure policy for more information.