Peek Inside the Progress of Giada at The Cromwell

With 62 days until opening night of May 21, Giada at The Cromwell still has some work to be done. Spelled out by the resort in all caps, the namesake first restaurant from Emmy-Award winning celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis will feature her fusion of Italian cuisine with a Californian influence. But first, it needs to meet a set-in-stone debut date.

Work on the most open, visible and appraisable restaurant building site on the Strip began with an estimated $6 million construction budget and 14,485 square feet of space. It has since been tapered to a still-healthy 12,000-square-foot project, with room for 260 guests. The entire Cromwell complex with 188 hotel rooms and three nightclubs from impresario Victor Drai replaces the former Bill's Gamblin' Hall.

Giada [Photo: Bradley Martin]

Giada will give visitors the option to eat in the dining room, lounge or on the outdoor patio that appears destined for the curved second-floor balcony

Giada [Photo: Bradley Martin]

An open kitchen will allow viewing of the creation of "fresh pasta, bread and desserts." De Laurentiis is also installing the first antipasto station for an Italian restaurant on the Strip, a more familiar sight to visitors of the city's buffets.

Giada [Photo: Bradley Martin]

Still to come, "huge retractable windows" facing the Strip.

The Cromwell [Photo/Rendering: Bradley Martin/The Cromwell]

On the casino floor of The Cromwell, the chandeliers are already in place and operational. The bordello-style fixtures are almost an exact match to those featured in the official renderings of The Cromwell's high limit lounge. Formerly called The Abbey, the name and broader appeal of the lounge have since been dropped by the hotel's own Web page description.

The Abbey was initially previewed as "a reserved area with three table games. The room can be curtained off for privacy – perfect for high-profile guests. The Abbey also has a small lounge area complete with comfortable seating and a TV. " Now, renamed the more mundane "reserved gaming room," the description has been abbreviated to "...three tables and a sitting area. It can also be curtained off for a more exclusive experience." The remaining casino area will cover 40,000-square-feet and include a central bar.
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