It is time to put a hold on diet (again) and have some fun under the Sun! We escaped chilly NYC to visit Marco Island. We arrived shortly before lunch time, and yes, we were ready for some food! The first restaurant we visited was The Speakeasy, but unlike the most speakeasy spots in NYC, it was not so hidden…
We wanted to sit outside, so the hostess guided us to the back. They had some tables along the way, and also, a bar to the left with lots of indoor seating. It was not weekend just yet, so it was not too busy.
The outdoor seating area was not so large, but still had a pretty good amount of tables. Back here was much more lively than the indoor seating, and it should be when you are in a nice warm weather! With that, most places that offers outdoor seating was busy, even during the weekday. We actually called them to reserve a table when we were on our way here.
They did have a nice water view, and even got to see a big pelican up close! But, the only thing was that this outdoor seating area had no breeze coming through… It was cloudy but very muggy day with high humidity, it was not so pleasant…
We started off our lunch with a cold drink, Peach Palmer ($9) without realizing what kind of drink it was… We actually thought it was like Arnold Palmer, but with a twist of peach flavor. Well, it was a drink with a twist alright… After one sip, I realized it was an alcoholic beverage! It was made with Whiskey, Peach Schnapps, Sweet Tea, and Lemonade. It was so overly sweet, and that sweetness overwhelmed everything else… Not as tasty as it sounded.
For appetizer, we ordered Bootlegger Calamari ($9.99), lightly dusted in their breading and served with homemade marinara sauce. The portion was great, but as you can see, the amount of marinara sauce we received did not match the portion of calamari… They should serve at least two of those small containers, or change it to a bigger container that can hold more marinara sauce. The calamari was very good, it had crunchy exterior and plump and juicy in the inside. It had just the right amount of seasoning, I did like their special breading.
We had one more appetizer to share, Drunken Clams ($11.99). The sound of it was too enticing to pass on… It was made with clams and Italian sausage, sautéed in clam broth, garlic, and beer with diced onion and tomatoes.
This item was even better than it sounded. The broth was packed with flavor, and with generous amount of sausage, it was meaty and satisfying. I really loved the tomato and onion cubes. A pretty nice sized appetizer, and bread was awesome too, garlicky and buttery. It also had a good number of clams. We all enjoyed it!
For main, we had a few items. The first one was Shrimp Po Boy ($11.99). Sandwiches are served with a choice of French fries or coleslaw, but you can also get it with sweet potato fries or onion rings for additional $1. We got this one with sweet potato fries. It had a choice of blackened, grilled, or fried shrimp. We went with grilled, in which I wonder if this is still a Po Boy??? Anyways, they come on a hoagie roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, coleslaw and sweet chili sauce. It certainly looked very different from classic Po Boy. The shrimps were quite large and plump. It was a cold sandwich, a nice, refreshing sandwich on a hot, muggy day.
I went with Prohibition Burger ($12.99), to go with the Speakeasy theme. It is made with 8oz of seared ground beef, topped with bbq pork, red onion, cheddar cheese and a fried pickle. It was quite impressive with that huge fried pickle sitting atop like a crown! Not what I expected…
The burger was great on a hungry tummy, it was super juicy! Pork was so tender and flavorful, with nice sweetness from the sauce. Buns were soft and tasty too. So satisfying and very filling. A bit greasy so get ready to get your hands dirty!
We also had Pizza Flatbread ($11.99), made with three toppings of your choice, mozzarella cheese and marinara. We got chicken, broccoli, and roasted red peppers. They were nice and thin, crispy, and pretty darn tasty!
The first meal in Marco Island was tasty and VERY filling. We were all so completely stuffed! Our server was not friendly, at all, to the point it was almost comical… He didn’t really come check on us, we didn’t get any refill on the water even though our water glasses were empty… So the service was bad, but the food and the view was nice. A good place for a quick bite that is affordable and filling.
The SpeakEasy of Marco Island – 1106 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145