Duck Confit Tacos: $12. Pairs with Chardonnay or a lager.
Being a chef in San Francisco means using local products is a given. “In general, I think most chefs try to do it as much as possible,” said Mike Werden, executive chef at the city’s Great American Music Hall. So on the menu at the concert venue, a place known more for its storied history (the building survived World War II, almost being demolished and numerous ownership changes) and musical acts than its food service, Werden presents elevated dishes that incorporate seasonal and regional ingredients —making for a surprisingly sophisticated spread at the hall’s special events.
One such dish is Werden’s duck confit taco, which showcases locally sourced duck. He rubs the meat with salt, herbs, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorn and garlic, and then lets it sit overnight before searing it and cooking it in its own fat, very slowly, “so you can take the meat right off the bone,” he explained.
The duck is adorned with fried rice that’s also cooked in duck fat, complemented with Napa cabbage and peas. It’s all topped with a grapefruit and mango salsa that incorporates a bit of red onion, cumin and cilantro. “Everything is local and organic,” he said of the ingredients. “I wanted to do something that’s local and that was real to this area. The duck is sourced from very close to here. It’s a very rich meat; it’s different than if I just ordered duck from a nonlocal company. It wouldn’t be the same quality.”
Contact: Mike Werden, werden@slims-sf.com, (415-885-0750)
Executive Chef Mike Werden
Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
Mike Werden has three decades of experience in the culinary industry; much of that time was spent in San Francisco’s top eateries, including Vertigo, Café de Paris and the Waterfront Restaurant. Prior to his current gig, Werden was the executive chef at Café Du Nord and Swedish American Hall.
Since January of 2014, however, he’s been feeding hungry audiences and musicians at the Great American Music Hall, a challenge he’s embraced with open arms and ears. “The music is varied and it’s not the same thing every night,” he said. “That makes it more interesting. … There are some really special moments here that can’t be recreated.”
“We really take good care of the bands every night,” he added. “A lot of these bands are on tour; they’re tired; they’re kind of beat up. It makes a big difference if they have a good meal … and it’s really cool to see them get all charged up.”