What do you look for in a finer Italian restaurant?

I've only had one really favorite Italian restaurant. It was called Valentino's. The first time I went there was my 16th birthday (I'm 53 now). At that time, the decor was dark red and dark wood. There were "famous" people's photos along the front gallery. All the waitstaff were males, a lot of them Italian. The food was wonderful. Always very tasty and very hot out of the kitchen. I used to order veal and peppers all the time. Of course, that came with a loaf of hot fresh-baked bread, spinich and a small plate of spaghetti. After the first time I went, I just made it a habit of going for my birthday, usually with family and friends. I went there every year until I was in my 30's. A lot of new construction started close by and the street was closed off for some time. The coliseum was next door, but it was closed for a long time after a newer one was built across town. I don't know why I stopped going, though. To tell the truth, I'm not even sure it's still there. There are a lot of what I call "fast food" Italian restaurants around, but none compare with Valentino's food!