It really is true—Sometimes you want to go where everyone knows your name. And at Tuscany Gardens, the Italian restaurant in Tuscany Suites & Casino on Flamingo Road, you’ll feel right at home. The venue has that dark, intimate vibe so beloved of many Italian restaurants and homes.

A small bar in one corner dispenses an array of tasty cocktails and wine selected to enhance your meal. You can start your experience with one of those cocktails, such as the Avatar, whose secret ingredient causes the drink to change color, or the Reisling cocktail mixed with pineapple juice, whose main ingredient is no secret. Either makes a perfect sip to accompany the Chef’s Platter, where buffalo mozzarella and 24-month aged Parmigiano cheese vie with San Daniele prosciutto, capicola and salami to make it to your mouth. For a simple, flavorful bite, try the hearts of palm salad, with avocado, sweet Maui onions, buffalo mozzarella, capers and an Italian vinaigrette. Maybe it’s the sweet onions, but you will devour every morsel, no greens needed.

Take your pick of pasta here, and standouts include lobster fettuccine and a stellar truffle ravioli, stuffed with ricotta, fontina, mozzarella and Parmesan. The earthy truffle cream sauce will have your fork diving for any of the roasted mushrooms that might be aiming for escape, and the decadent lobster fettuccine seems to bathe in a white wine butter sauce. Vegetarians can also opt for fettuccine Alfredo or a light cappellini, and the chef can easily make a grilled veggie plate. (Make sure to try some stuffed mushrooms while you're at it.) Traditional dishes are prevalent, with osso buco, cioppino and Marsala dishes. Tender beef medallions are accented by beautifully crispy potatoes, or get steaks in 8- and 16-ounce portions.

Desserts here channel old-school Italian favorites, but with a delicious twist. Tiramisu, served in a martini glass, features Stumptown espresso, the popular brand served throughout the resort. Mascarpone gives the Nutella cheesecake that silky texture. And lemon sorbet with prosecco can serve both as a palate cleanser or a sweet treat with a tang. Gelatos and spumoni here are actually created by talented chef Luciano Pellegrini’s local company, Dolce Vita Gelato.

So enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and excellent dishes at Tuscany Gardens. You’ll be glad you came—we’re sure glad we did.

Tuscany Suites & Casino, opens at 5 p.m. daily. 702.947.5910