This summer the Casino Lac-Leamy will be hosting retro themed nights of the 20s, 50s or 80s between June 29th to August 26th on Thursday, Friday or Saturday evenings. Either drive over to the casino or try the Aqua-Taxi which will take you via water at the docks near the Bytown Museum directly in front of the casino.
Even if you are not into gambling, the Casino Lac-Leamy has much to offer, as the entertainment complex has plenty of concerts and shows in their large theater, outstanding dining options at one of the many restaurants, a beautiful bar that often has live music, and the upstairs nightclub Club Aléa. Not to mention the casino is also connected to the Hilton Hotel where you can turn your visit into a staycation and pamper yourself at the spa or take a dive in the outdoor pool.
I recently visited to try out the first theme. The 50s theme is from June 29 to July 15. Right away when you arrive at the casino, you will come across the amazing themed photo booth of a soda fountain. The photo booth is super fun and certainly worth trying. When you visit there are costume props, such as jackets and sunglasses to wear and there is a photography ready to take your photo. I was highly impressed by the photo booth, as not only did I get a printed copy of the picture, but I was emailed one as well and was given a pair of cute cat eye sunglasses to keep.
At various points throughout the evening, people were dancing the jive and swing in 50s costume which made for an exciting environment. For those wishing a retro drinking, as part of the 50s theme you can order a soda fountain classic – a milkshake. The three options are a mango milkshake, a chocolate and banana milkshake and a cheesecake flavored milkshake. I tried the classic, which you can see me drinking above which is was very decadent and creamy.
For those of you want to try all 3 themes, you can experience the electric 80s from July 20 to August 5th where you can order a tequila punch, and from August 10 to 26th you can take part in the roaring 20s theme and sip on the ginger rogers martini.
After testing out my luck gambling at the casino, The Zone quickly became my favorite spot to gamble. The Zone has a more youthful environment with an upbeat ambiance. Here you can play poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and slot on a touch computer screen. For me, the appeal each of my friends could play a different game and still right next to each other. Another huge advantage was as I’m a novice at games like poker and blackjack going to try the games at the tables in the casino always seemed rather intimidating. At The Zone, you can sit and play the game on the touch screen watching the host in front of you, and if you need help, the casino staff will walk over to help explain the game.
Arôme Seafood and Grill
One of my favorite things about the Casino Lac Leamy would have to be the outstanding location, so when visiting I decided to have dinner at Arôme Seafood and Grill where the terrace has one of the best views in the area overlooking Lac de la Carrièr.
To start I had a light blackberry salad, which was served with a blackberry dressing and an outstanding salmon tartar which was not only delicious but beautifully presented.
Next, I sampled the super tender pulled pork which was part of Arôme Seafood and Grill’s summer BBQ menu.
As this restaurant specializes in seafood and grilled meats, I opted for the beef prime rib. I couldn’t get over how massive the steak was, which was served with beets, peppers, zucchini and buttery mashed potatoes.
Finally, I decided to opt for the dessert buffet option so that I could sample a bite of a variety of the gorgeous sweets. If you have a sweet tooth like myself, I highly recommend this option as there was a vast assortment of beautiful desserts that all were outstanding. I decided to try a summer berry dessert, a cream puff and slice of sugar pie.
Plenty To Do Even If You Don’t Gamble
As I’m not big into gambling, it had been a long time since I went to the Casino Lac-Leamy, but I was delighted to discover how much there is to do even if you don’t gamble. If you are planning on enjoying the retro night, there are plenty of options. You can have fun at the themed photo booth, head over to one of the many restaurants, grab a themed drink at the bar, and then head up to the nightclub, listen to live music at the bar, watch a show at the theater, or join the people dancing near the photo booth.