We’ve finally made it! It’s cousin Lisa’s 21st Birthday Vegas trip and we’ve (mostly) touched down! We’ll slowly gain some members of the group as the days move forward with differing travel plans for everyone but that’s okay. I’ve met up with the German group, we’ve gotten to our hotel, and we’re ready to eat and explore! After we landed, there was just enough time to collect our luggage, check into the Hotel, get ready for dinner, and hustle on over for our first meal.
First meal -
LOCATION: The Cromwell - A Caesars Rewards Destination
3595 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Credit where credit it due, my cousin Quyen is the mastermind behind most of these reservations. A little joint google doc to help narrow down the interests of 7 people in 1 city for a little under a week and some flexibility means we’re all getting some things crossed off our lists collectively. Majority rules and we’ve landed at Giada!
I have no idea who voted for this restaurant but I’m not against Italian food and Giada De Laurentiis is fun enough on TV that I’ve got no complaints. We typically are a ‘family style’ kind of ordering system so we each get to try as many dishes as possible (my preferred way of having group dinners) but for some reason tonight we kept to ourselves. No big deal as the portions weren’t insane and the menu didn’t feel terribly special that I felt like I was missing out on much.
I ordered the Seared Scallop Risotto which has butternut squash, crispy sage, and a brown butter. I LOVE a risotto and scallops may be one of my favs so I almost always want it when I can get it. No complaints at all. The risotto was a little bit al dente for me which is saying something from someone who likes a little bite but nothing majorly problematic. I’m not a ‘send it back’ kind of person and I was so tired and hungry from traveling, I wasn’t about to take more time waiting for food.
There are some gimick-y things when coming here - three foot tall pepper grinder brought to the table at the start of the meal - a fun photo moment I suppose, but nothing extraordinary about the overall experience as a whole. Wouldn’t tell people to avoid this but also not a solid recommendation either. If you want Italian food, sure. If you want to spend money on a memorable meal, maybe not this spot.
We’re splurging a little this trip but I’m not planning on being a frequent flyer to Vegas so we’re gonna do as much as possible and eat all the things we want to eat so we leave with no major regrets if the next trip back isn’t for awhile. Giada wouldn’t make it on my return list, that’s for sure.