Giada De Laurentiis is a California girl. And so am I. And maybe that’s why I’m so enamored of her Las Vegas restaurant, the eponymous Giada.
Giada-the-restaurant encapsulates that California vibe, from the entry at the top of an escalator to the cozy bar and the elegant yet comfortable seating that fills the dining room. The dining room itself is a curved area with windows overlooking the Strip; it’s replete with wood, white walls and overhead fans, reminding you of the outdoor rooms of so many California homes.
The Italian cuisine here reflects De Laurentiis’ upbringing in both Italy and California, a style she brings to life in her Food Network show, Giada at Home.
Dinner at Giada should start with a cocktail, and the signature “G” is one of the best. Macchu Pisco, pineapple juice and lime brighten the drink, while apricot preserves add color and freshness. Seafood towers here can feed up to three or five, depending on size, and include Maine lobster, French Kiss and kusshi oysters (both from Canada), king crab and shrimp cocktail. Meat and cheese boards also come in two sizes, with prosciutto di Parma, finocchiona, soppressata, pecorino Toscano, Gorgonzola and buffalo mozzarella among the offerings. There are plenty of antipasti choices, from bacon-wrapped dates with spicy Italian sausage and orzo meatballs to lobster arancini and a selection of marinated olives.
Entrées include petite filets with a cheesy mashed butternut squash, cacciatore-style Italian fried chicken, branzino and a 28-ounce bone-in Tuscan ribeye, made especially eye-catching with a sunny-side up egg on top.
For some of us, pasta is the only thing we want at an Italian restaurant, no matter how many other delicacies are presented. Here at Giada, it comes in all forms. Try cacio e pepe for a classic bite with pecorino Toscano and black pepper; bucatini with Calabrian chili for a spicier feel; ravioli with lobster; rigatoni with a vegetable Bolognese; and Giada’s signature lemon spaghetti, with shrimp and mascarpone. You can also have chicken, shrimp or Maine lobster tail added to your dish if you wish, or indulge in risotto with crab and scallops instead.
Come for brunch and you’ll find a Giada classic, the Sunrise polenta waffle, with pancetta, a béchamel sauce and sunny-side up eggs; a salmon Benedict with piquillo peppers and prosecco hollandaise; cavatelli and spaghetti; lobster hash; and my absolute favorite sandwich of all time (no hyperbole here), the grilled cheese with lemon pesto and heirloom tomatoes. It’s so simple, but the flavor is unrivaled. The pastry basket here also gets high marks; it’s hard not to gobble it all up and not leave room for that delicious sandwich. A glass of prosecco or sangria will make the morning even nicer.
Desserts vary, but Giada’s famous lemon-ricotta cookies are really all that—and tiramisu, sorbetti and gelato are excellent as well.
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