Las Vegas is a city of continual transformation and improvement; older properties give way to new construction. But the heart of it all remains old Vegas—the one that the Rat Pack used to gallivant through. It still exists—you just have to know where to look. One of these oases is downtown at The D in Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse.

With the transition from the longstanding Fitzgeralds, The D became a bastion of owner Derek Stevens’ hometown of Detroit; even the name is a nod to the Motor City. And with the Detroit style comes the flavors of the city, from the more casual American Coney Island doling out regionally famous, chili-slathered Coney dogs to Andiamo from the famed Detroit-area restaurateur Vicari.

Entering through the brick-clad tunnel and wrought iron gates into Andiamo transports you to a Vegas of days past. The passage is only fitting considering the vintage Vegas casino Stevens has cultivated at the restaurant’s entrance on the second floor, which even includes a working Sigma Derby machine! Within, white-tuxedo-clad servers await your every need in a meal Bugsy Siegel would be proud of.

Any visit to Andiamo should start with an order of grilled portobello mushrooms. While you can gild the dish with beef tenderloin tips, it’s practically unnecessary to enrich the tender strips of mushrooms. Instead, it’s important to liberally use their famous zip sauce, a combination of vegetable consommé, whole butter and soy sauce. Frankly, you’ll want to dip practically everything you order into this.

Accompany your mushrooms with the signature Andiamo grande meatball. The size of a softball, this meal-masquerading-as-an-appetizer is a hearty addition to your evening. The succulent combination of beef and pork is topped with a dollop of ricotta and served swimming in a sharp marinara.

As an Italian steakhouse, plenty of pastas are offered alongside a myriad of meats. Steaks are aged for a minimum of 30 days, resulting in more tender cuts. The filet mignon is a classic cut but if you want to impress your friends—and onlookers elsewhere in the dining room—order the charred Andiamo tomahawk instead. This gargantuan 32-ounce beast is reminiscent of a meal from The Flintstones, so order on an empty stomach.

On the pasta front, house-made pappardelle arrives in a rich, complex veal ragu fitting the definition of rib-sticking meal. For a lighter option, agnolotti are tender bundles of ground pork and beef in tomato basil sauce. Either provides a worthy foil to a charred steak.

For dessert, some traditional yet lesser-known Italian delicacies await, including gianduia. This cake delivers a thick serving of hazelnut and chocolate ganache akin to Nutella. Or instead order the cassata, Italian wedding cake that is essentially cannoli in cake form. Each dessert feels like an effort after such a filling meal, but what’s more vintage Vegas than indulgence itself?

The D, 5-11 p.m. daily. 702.388.2220