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Not so long ago visiting a casino was considered to be the preserve of the well-heeled businessman - a place where you expected the jet set to gather.
The men were required to wear a jacket and tie and the ladies dressed to the nines. It was all calculated to make the ordinary folk feel uncomfortable and ill-at-ease.
Cocktails were shaken, not stirred yet the most you could expect by way of food were some nibbles on the bar and perhaps a sandwich. They were serious places for seriously rich gamblers.
But I am pleased to say that the latest generation of casinos has completely shaken-off the starched-shirt image of those old, slightly shady, velvet draped, smoke-filled establishments.
A trip to the casino is now an inviting prospect that is often centred around the food and the gently up-market, but never daunting atmosphere, as much as the gaming tables themselves.
The recently refurbished Genting Club in Queens Square, Liverpool, must now be added to the ever-growing of great restaurants in the city.
Genting - part of a huge worldwide empire - have invested £4.5m on re-fitting this casino, which is in a really convenient city centre location, as a top-class venue and destination for a complete evening-out.
It's not so much the poker, black jack, and roulette tables that are a sure bet to lure you back, but the warm welcome, friendly atmosphere and superb facilities including the swish 1880 bar upstairs.
The place feels more like an top-class member's club rather than a gambling den and the 1880 bar is worth seeking out, as a quiet refuge midweek with great decor. At weekends it hosts a programme of entertainment.
From the very outset you feel at home and that this is a club that you are going to want to make a regular watering hole.
And of course, there is nothing to hold you back. Membership is free and you can enjoy a superb a two-course or three course meal, with some of the great deals that are on offer. Just take a look at the website http://www.gentingcasinos.co.uk/club/queen-square/
We visited on a Wednesday evening and though the place was far from packed, there was a great atmosphere and the staff were very helpful and friendly.
Membership registration is easy with some proof of identity, a passport, driver's licence or the like. In fact membership is not required, but it is needed to collect points and to play some of the automatic machines.
We started-off in the restaurant which is a tremendously impressive venue with subdued lighting, very comfortable booths and table seating. It also boasts an extensive menu and great wine list, with excellent vintages at keen prices that really are not going to break the bank.
The interior designer has cleverly displensed with a former spiral staircase that once dominated the area and it now has and intimate, luxury feel with just the right amount of open space and seating.
Three of us were on a lads' night out and we began with olives and bread and oil and balsamic dip, which were excellent.
The menu includes a wide range of a la carte options and steaks at reasonable prices and all purchases earn points on your Genting card which can be redeemed for food and drinks etc.
I started with Pan Seared Scallops - served with Crispy Chorizo and Seasonal Leaves - while my two companions opted, the one for tomato soup and other for king prawn cocktail. The scallops were huge and cooked to perfection and complimented nicely by the fresh leaves. A real delight and a generous portion.
The soup was reported to be freshly-made, served with artisan bread and the juicy prawns were equally top notch. A great opener.
For their main courses one of my pals opted for Double Cooked Free Range Pork Belly - with Buttered Mash and Seasonal Green Vegetables. I selected a special "Lamb Wilkinson" an impromtu name we dubbed on it, in honour of he chef on duty, and served on herb mashed potatoes with asparagus.
Our third companion went for the Grilled Sea Bass Fillets - served with Lemon and Caper Butter, New Potatoes, Broad Beans and Vine Cherry Tomatoes.
We were all genuinely impressed by the superb presentation, excellent service, and most of all by the perfectly-cooked dishes, clearly prepared with fresh and top-class ingredients.
My lamb was cooked just right: medium as I had asked, slightly pink, and served on top of the mash in a thick, pre-sliced steak. I savoured every tender mouthful. The pork belly is something I would seldom order, but in fact I tried a slice and it too was a thrill. Not at all fatty and full of complex flavours.
But of the three dishes, the sea bass took the blue ribbon. My friend wowed about it as "one of the best dishes I have ever tasted". High praise indeed. It was a big thick and yet delicately flavoured filet... so he told me because he loved it so much he would not share even a morsel!
It was all complimented with side dishes of fresh vegetables, a salad and bear-battered onion rings. A special mention for the chunky fresh-fried onion rings. They were a treat in themselves!
All this was washed-down with a superb Rioja Faustino red wine that was priced at little more than you might pay in a high street wine shop.
By this stage we were feeling the lure of the tables, but we were not hurried and decide we could manage to round-off the meal. I opted for creme brulée and tea while my chums shared an nice cheeseboard with their coffees.
We decided that it was some of the best food on offer in the city at prices that mean you need not risk gambling on spending too much when you sit down to dine.
After our meal we spent a while on the roulette tables - at one stage I was well ahead and should have quit while I was winning! In the end I came out even.
We also enjoyed a training session on a blackjack table where our croupier was very patient, and full of good humour. Nothing was too much trouble for him as he carefully and expertly guided us through the rules of the game.
Blackjack is a relatively simple game and since you are playing individually it is, in some ways, more satisfying than roulette, and indeed a bit faster to play, though the stakes do not need to be too high.
The Genting casino is open seven days a week from 12pm until 6am
Click rating 9/10
