I hadn’t thought about Petaluma’s Speakeasy restaurant and its sibling music venue, The Big Easy, in a decade — until I started working on a story about Sonoma County’s best mac and cheese. Searching for candidates, Speakeasy’s lobster mac rose to the forefront of a neck-and-neck selection of gooey, melty, cheesy pasta from some of the most recognized restaurants from Cloverdale to Petaluma.
It made the cut based on my memory of the sweet lobster with cheddar, fontina, herby breadcrumbs and crumbled bacon clinging to every surface of the curved orecchiette pasta. But it also made me realize it might be time to see if Speakeasy was still as good as I remembered in its tucked-away location on Kentucky Street.
On a chilly January evening, Speakeasy’s outdoor patio didn’t feel like a good idea despite being a massive draw in warmer seasons. Inside is dark and sparsely decorated with just a few tables and a bar. Service is friendly and adept but not fawning. As early bird eaters, our only company inside was a lone diner at the bar, but tables filled up as night fell in earnest.
And that’s the point of Speakeasy, one of Petaluma’s few late-night dining options — open until 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday. It’s the comfort food you crave after a few cocktails: rib-sticking and classic.
You can get the Speakeasy menu with a martini at the neighboring Big Easy while listening to singer-songwriters, jazz, big band, hip-hop and electro-pop seven nights per week. Local music producer Roger Tschann owns both venues.
But this story is about the Speakeasy experience and the food crafted by chefs Jesus Ortiz and Angel Chan. It’s not overwrought cuisine but straightforward comfort food that’s impressive for being just that. Comforting.
Ortiz is a humble, behind-the-scenes cook you could find in almost any restaurant in Sonoma County. Originally from Mexico, he’s lived in Petaluma for nearly 25 years, working at Old Chicago Pizza and Brixx before joining Speakeasy seven years ago. His cooking skills weren’t bought, but hard-earned while working menial prep jobs and slowly moving his way up the line.
Ortiz isn’t out to win critical acclaim with fancy ingredients, an unstained chef coat and a publicity team. Instead, he works day after day in his well-worn whites, serving good food that makes people happy.
Ortiz and Chan, who is from the Yucatán, have introduced some traditional Mexican dishes, including carnitas, ceviche and tacos, but dishes like the very American mac and cheese, short ribs with polenta, burgers, sandwiches and grilled steak remain their most popular. Prices are incredibly reasonable, and such a relief with the ongoing sticker shock of $32 burgers and $25 salads.
The menu doesn’t change much, though specials appear from time to time, which is just fine. Occasionally, a big bowl of mac and cheese at a restaurant where nobody knows your name is the most satisfying meal of all.
Best bets
Braised Short Ribs with Blue Cheese Polenta, $24: I’ve had braised short ribs from some of the best chefs in Sonoma County, and these were — by a landslide — my favorite. Long-braised meat that’s not too fatty or lean falls apart faster than a Temu sundress. The polenta instantly raised my mood and cholesterol level, held together with more dairy than a milking barn. The blue cheese is an accent rather than a statement. The leftovers were extraordinary.
Lobster Mac and Cheese, $18: Exactly what you wish mac and cheese would be, but usually isn’t. Fontina adds creaminess to the sauce, with bits of bacon hidden about. Bowl-shaped orecchiette pasta, is perfect for holding onto breadcrumbs and cheese. My only complaint — I’m not sure the lobster adds that much to the whole thing. It would be equally delish without it. Either way, outstanding.
Tapas: Whether you make these a starter or a meal, little shared plates of papas bravas ($9) and spicy cauliflower ($14) are my favorites. Papas bravas are fried fingerling potatoes sprinkled with chili powder and served with chipotle aioli — which is how any fries should be served. Cauliflower is only a stinky carrier for sauce, in my book. This version of pan-fried florets has prickles of Anaheim pepper and salty capers that make it a joy rather than a punishment.
Tacos, $17 for three: Our favorite tacos were vegetarian and delicious. Soft corn tacos are piled with cabbage slaw, avocado puree and parsley, with a choice of meat or vegetables, but jackfruit smothered in sweet-sour barbecue sauce (a pulled pork dupe) and fried plantain with coconut were our top picks.
Fried Chicken, $23: If a TV dinner were delicious, this is what it would be. Crispy boneless chicken breasts, perfectly smooth mashed potatoes and flavorful gravy take me to a happy place sitting on the sofa, watching the Muppets and feeling like all is right with the world. If only there were a little square of overcooked apple pie.
Speakeasy Burger, $16: A simple, good burger served on a smushy brioche bun and all the fixings. Chipotle aioli gives it an added zing. Nothing complicated, nothing showy, just tasty.
Cheesecake, $7: Made in-house, flavors change with the chef’s whims. It’s more of a classic cheesecake that’s moist, fluffy and not overly sweet atop a buttery graham cracker crust. It’s not a mile-high Cheesecake Factory style, but a more modest grandma-style.
Speakeasy is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Brunch begins at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. 139 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-776-4631, speakeasypetaluma.com
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.