Funistrada’s Huntsman Tortellini

Tastemaker

By Kathleen Wilson | Sept. 25, 2021

Quack, Quack — duck season has arrived in Northern Michigan. If layering up in camo and heading out into the deep woods to find your inner outdoorsman is not your thing, don’t worry; there’s another, far easier (and more delicious way) to bag that duck. Tucked away on the far side of Big Glen Lake in Burdickville is long time local and tourist favorite Funistrada Trattoria. This Italian eatery serves a packed house every Tuesday through Sunday evening, year-round. On offer for their fall menu: the Huntsman Tortellini with smoke duck breast, peas, and mushrooms tossed in a rich, garlicky cream sauce. The duck, sourced from third-generation family-run Maple Leaf Farms in Indiana, is smoked in-house daily by resident Funi Chef Jon Viswat. He tells Northern Express he uses a trio of pink apple, hickory, and cherry wood to achieve that “perfect smoky infusion” into the meat. The combo of the sweet smoky duck and luxuriously creamy sauce gives off some serious fall feels. If you can order it before it sells out — as it does on most nights — consider yourself one lucky duck. $29. Find Funistrada on 4566 W. MacFarlane Road in Burdickville/Maple City. (231) 334-3900