This post was written just after the grand opening of The Giada Restaurant in Las Vegas in 2015. We have returned to the restaurant since then and had a similar positive experiences.
On of the highlights of our visit to Las Vegas in 2015 was a celebration lunch at Giada de Laurentiis’ new restaurant at The Cromwell Hotel. This elegant yet unpretentious venue is Giada’s first restaurant and it is evident that she has taken the utmost care with every detail.
The decor is warm, open and airy and the modern, relaxed vibe makes you feel comfortable at once. There is a comfortable waiting area with sofas just outside the restaurant so there is no pressure to have a drink if you have to wait a couple of minutes for your table. I was also taken by the very fashionable ‘uniforms’ worn by the staff according to their positions, especially the lovely white eyelet dresses worn by the hostesses.
Once you enter the restaurant itself, you can watch the chefs at work in the beautiful, immaculate, open kitchens and sit either in soft, comfy sofa style seating in the lounge or in the equally comfortable dining room which overlooks ‘the strip’.
Giada Vegas takes full advantage of its position on the corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard with retractable windows that bring the outdoors in. We were seated at what felt like the best table in the house, a large booth overlooking the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel.
Our waiter spent time discussing the menu with us and making excellent recommendations. We started with a salami and cheese flatbread and a refreshing red sangria to wet our appetites.
The spicy salami was the perfect foil to the creamy mozzarella and the flatbread was just right for two to share.
I chose the Lobster Roll for my main course.
This dish had eight ounces of tender lobster meat and was garnished with tarragon and tender celery leaves. Served open-faced with salad and crispy deep-fried strips of zucchini (courgette) alongside, it was the nicest lobster roll I have ever enjoyed. (I need to mention here that I’ve eaten a lot of lobster rolls in a lot of places over the years!)
My husband chose the tenderloin sliders, three mini steak burgers served with a rocket salad.
He raved about this dish and was particularly impressed that the servings were not overwhelming as they often are in North American restaurants.
I was actually almost too full for dessert but we couldn’t miss out on some of Giada’s signature treats.
My cookies (some of which we took away with us) were amazing. There were Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam and Chocolate Chip Cookies made with seriously gorgeous chocolate chips. My husband’s Tiramisu was made with Gran Mariner instead of coffee liqueur and contained chocolate and hazelnuts. (His plate had ‘Happy Birthday’ written in chocolate as our anniversary and his birthday are the same day.) I’m not normally a big fan of tiramisu but this version I loved.
The attention to detail on absolutely everything – even our end of meal latte – was lovely.
I was also seriously impressed by the fact that we never felt rushed. My husband and I are used to the European and British tradition of lingering over meals so Giada Vegas was a refreshing change from some of the more formal North American restaurants that have you in and out in around an hour. In fact, we had our table for over two hours, never feeling pressured to order more of anything and being urged to take our time and enjoy.
Not only was this one of the best meals of our recent visit to California and Nevada, we also felt the meal was incredibly good value for money. While it was expensive, when you consider the quality of the food and service as well as the location, the prices really are very good.
For delicious food and great service in a wonderful atmosphere above the madding Las Vegas crowd, I highly recommend Giada at The Cromwell.
Giada’s restaurant is located in the Cromwell Hotel. Dress smart casual. Vegan and Gluten Free choices are available. Reservations highly recommended.
My husband and I paid for our own meal and I am sharing my honest, unrequested opinion of our experience.
Comments & Reviews
Mel @ Adventures of Mel says
April, this looks like a wonderful restaurant and a very romantic setting too. The food looks amazing. Definitely adding it to my list of restaurants we must try when we go through Nevada. Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Wednesday. Featuring you in next week’s issue.
April Harris says
It really is wonderful, Mel. I just know you will enjoy it! Please let me know what you think! Thank you so much for the feature. See you Wednesday 🙂
Michelle says
From your pictures, this looks like a beautiful place. For some reason I love the idea of the hostesses wearing white eyelet dresses. I think I spy one in the background of your second picture.
April Harris says
Thank you, Michelle, it really is lovely. Funny, I hadn’t noticed until you said, but yes, that is one of the hostesses in the background of the second picture 🙂