Giada at the Cromwell

For most people, Vegas is about drinking, partying, and gambling.  For me, as with most trips I take, it was about shopping and food.  That said, don’t judge me when I tell you that one of my top five favorite happenings of the past few days spent in Las Vegas was eating at Giada De Laurentiis’ new restaurant, ‘Giada’ in The Cromwell. 

I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Giada, but I have my Hubby to thank for getting me hooked.  It’s hard to trust a chef/cookbook author/Food Network star who is skinny, yet gosh darnit, she knows how to make good food, and how to describe it with such emotion that you are forced to believe she is secretly a fat girl at heart.  Her focus of, “I eat a little bit of everything and not a lot of anything,” is posted throughout her restaurant and it certainly is an ideal I’m trying to make part of my life.  The menu at her restaurant has been created to reach such a viewpoint.

The restaurant opened its doors only a few weeks prior to our arrival in Vegas.  In such high demand, the only available date we could find a reservation for was Tuesday night at 8:45 pm.  Though we already had purchased tickets for a show which would finish up at the same time, we took the reservation, hoping to find a better one for later in the week.  After calling the restaurant, frequenting Open Table several times, and a little confusion on my part over the words June and July in scheduling on Open Table, we determined that somehow we’d had an undeserved stroke of luck by securing the reservation for Tuesday night, regardless how late.

Located on the second floor of The Cromwell, away from the harsh lighting and trumpeting sounds of slot machines, ‘Giada’ is in what feels like its own little world.  Soft lighting and creamy color tones surround as diners ride the escalator to the hostess table, set apart from the inside of the restaurant.  As we gave the hostess our name, she began searching her computer for our reservation.  After a minute or so, the hostess said, “I’m not finding a reservation for tonight, but you do have a reservation here for Tuesday, July 22^nd.”  At first, it didn’t register.  We said, “Oh no, that’s not right, we made this reservation a day ago.  We’re only here this week,” and then as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized what had happened.  Just as I had mistaken June for July when trying to find a better reservation time, Hubby had eagerly placed his reservation for the first Tuesday that showed on Open Table in his phone, not realizing that it was for July instead of June.

Even so, the hostess typed a little mystery into her computer and without flinching escorted us to our seats.  There are probably many more thrilling things in life that should bring about such glee, but in that moment I was in a sort of excited shock over not being turned away and the dining experience that awaited me.  I giggled and glared at Hubby, who pretty much mirrored my sentiments.  The hostess gave us a tour of the open kitchen area featuring their wide variety of antipasti on display, then a pasta chef who at that very moment was cutting pasta for ravioli (Can you say, ‘Swooooon’? Because that’s what I did).  Following the pasta man was a pizza man preparing pizzettes in their own brick oven.

Our waitress was phenomenal.  She planted an IPad in front of us with an interactive drink menu which Hubby and I absolutely could not refuse.  The specialty cocktails are named for movies Giada's grandfather, Dino De Laurentiis, produced.  Hubby ordered the Flash (Flash Gordon) which I can simply describe as a typical man drink and I ordered the La Strada.  I’ll admit, the combination of homemade lemon sorbeto and Prosecco was what influenced my choice.

Something Giada offers as an attempt to mimic dinner parties she throws as home is a $120 per person meal in which the table shares various antipasti, then each person picks between a first course (pasta), a second course (meat), and then the table gets a spread of desserts to share (Think, prix fixe meal, but better).  In addition, when leaving each person gets a signed picture of Giada and a copy of the recipes they enjoyed.  Though I desperately wanted to try it, we decided to stick with ordering off her main menu.  I look at it as giving me another reason to visit Vegas again in the very near future.

Though we were given an assortment of lemon-thyme flat bread, parmesan sticks, and, wait for it, homemade focaccia (all absolutely delicious) we, of course, had to try one of her pizzettes.  We went basic with a Margherita with herb roasted tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.  The dough stood out most to me, it was light, but still soft, a little bubbly, and bready.

Dinner was outstanding.  Hubby ordered: Rack of lamb, mustard crusted with spinach, raisins, walnuts, and herbed gremolata.  It was hands down the best lamb he has ever ordered.  Most times, Hubby can’t resist ordering lamb, some places do it great, while others just can’t seem to get it right.  Giada’s lamb was not only flavorful, but it was the most tender my teeth have ever sank into.

Gram was with us, and she ordered: Spaghetti, shrimp, lemon, and basil.  Our waitress told us that this is the dish that put Giada on the map, and it was then that I slightly recalled watching her make this very recipe on Food Network once before.  The shrimp were huge Tiger Shrimp and the pasta was just a hint past al dente, which I love.  Watch out though, you have to love lemon to get this dish.  Lucky for me, I do.  Gram ended up giving me half of her pasta before the night was through.

I ordered: Risotto, crab, and scallops.  I love risotto, but it is a gamble ordering it in a restaurant.  It can either be too cheesy, or too ricey, neither of which are a good thing where risotto is concerned.  If you aren’t familiar with risotto, it is an Italian rice, but a bit plumper than your everyday white rice.  Giada’s risotto was the perfect blend of cheese, seasonings, and chunks of delicious crab.  The two scallops that topped it were pan fried to perfection.

Though we were stuffed much further than eating a little bit of everything and not a lot of anything, we had to order her assorted cookies to go.  These included her famous Lemon Ricotta cookies which were again full of powerful lemony flavor throughout but also evened out with the mild moistness that the use of ricotta cheese gives to a cookie.  These brought to mind my Aunt Linda’s famous Italian Christmas cookies which are heavenly.  The best part?  It doesn't need to be Christmas to make them!

Pre-bagged dinner mints were our take away given to us by the hostess as we left the restaurant.  Part of me wanted to resist leaving, wanted to run to the kitchen, hoping to find Giada there, and beg her to let me stay forever in the wonderful world of food she has created.   Yet I left, tummy full and spirits high off of the thrill of such a fortunate dining experience.