One of many healthiest purple meats on the planet comes from Hawaii, and now it may be eaten in Denver because of Olivia in Washington Park and its partnership with Maui Nui Venison.

That is proper: The nutrient-dense meat comes from a deer. However not like the wild sport that makes up many of the venison one might need in Colorado, the axis deer inhabiting the island of Maui is leaner, has extra protein, and has an general pleasing taste with out the signature gaminess venison is understood for. Consuming the deer additionally has extra of a constructive environmental influence, because the South Asian animal is an invasive species in Hawaii.

The initiative to assist save the ecosystem of the island from the fast-breeding deer comes from Maui Nui Venison’s husband-and-wife founders, Jake and Ku‘ulani Musie, who began the enterprise in 2017 with the concept of not solely providing the scrumptious and wholesome meat to the plenty, however to eradicate the invasive animals.

“Jake now has an organization that manages the harvesting of those animals, all with the large image of Maui in thoughts,” says Olivia co-owner Heather Morrison. “It’s a enterprise for Jake, however they do not have gross sales objectives, solely administration objectives. They’re within the enterprise of saving the ecosystem of Maui.”

The brown, speckled axis deer first got here to the islands in 1868 as a present to King Kamehameha V, again when Hawaii was impartial from the US. Native to Nepal, with no pure predators and a year-round breeding cycle, the deer multiplied, stripping the land, taking meals from herd animals, spreading sickness and customarily inflicting havoc to the island’s ecosystem. At present, axis deer are an actual drawback — one thing Musie hopes to alter via sustainably harvesting the animal for meat. Final 12 months alone, his staff harvested round 500,000 kilos of venison.

So how did the axis deer invade the Denver-based Olivia? Morrison and her husband, Olivia co-owner Austin Carson, had lately began incorporating the venison into their home-cooked meals after listening to about this system. It is easy to order on-line from the Maui Nui Venison web site, so they’d some shipped in. For Morrison, consuming the nutrient-dense meat modified her life. 

“As soon as I began consuming it, my always-anemic physique had completely wholesome iron ranges,” she says. “It has been examined, and it is probably the most nutrient-dense purple meat you will get.”

Plus, she provides, it tastes nice. So good that Morrison and Carson introduced it to their different enterprise companion at Olivia, chef Ty Leon. He agreed, and shortly he and one other Olivia chef, Cody Boi, put it on the menu, utilizing it in pasta dishes, serving it in fillet type, and enjoying round with floor venison.

“I grew up looking, and I’m not a fan of sport meat, however that is utterly completely different,” says Leon. “It isn’t gamey by any means. It is a wealthy sort of meat, which is bizarre to say, nevertheless it’s scrumptious.”

In tandem with Olivia’s ongoing dedication to schooling and actually exploring the world of meals with its employees, in January Boi traveled to Maui with Morrison and Carson. The objective of the journey was to see how the deer had been harvested, find out about Musie’s dedication to the atmosphere and his firm, and garner inspiration for a particular dinner that includes axis deer on the restaurant again in Denver. On August 30, friends of Olivia can discover out simply what Boi and the staff discovered, in addition to meet Musie and ask questions in regards to the deer, Maui Nui Venison and the corporate’s conservation efforts. Reservations can be found through Tock.

The meal will embody 5 programs meshing Polynesian flavors with Olivia’s signature Italian fare, with the axis deer because the star. Dishes embody tuna crudo with kombu shoyu; kalua lasagna made with braised venison shank and banana leaf-infused pasta; and rib chops of venison achieved katsu-style with edamame pesto. Additionally take pleasure in venison culurgiones (a sort of Sardinian ravioli) with a saimin consommé, a ramen-like soup present in Hawaii. For dessert, count on a pile of the famed Hawaiian fried-dough malasadas, which can be served with ardour fruit and coconut.

Do not miss the particular cocktail menu, both. Carson has curated eight Polynesian-influenced libations, together with an espresso martini made with Hawaiian Kona espresso and rum-raisin amaro; a Negroni Bianco made with rum agricole, caramelized coconut and black pepper bitters; and the Rye Ti, made with rye, blackstrap, Cointreau, macadamia and mint.

The dinner prices $125 per particular person, with an non-compulsory $75 wine pairing from Halter Ranch, a vineyard in Paso Robles, California, recognized for its sustainable wine manufacturing. Cocktails are bought individually.

Even when the dinner sells out or you may’t make it that evening, Olivia nonetheless presents Maui Nui Venison on its day-to-day menu, although the dish adjustments. At the moment, diners can order Venison Polpette, a sort of meatball with foie gras cream, potato mousse and huckleberry preserves. The venison has additionally appeared in a rendition of osso buco, venison strip loin and an array of pasta dishes.

Not solely is Olivia one of many solely locations within the nation to serve the axis deer, however in Denver, it is onerous to seek out deer meat at any restaurant. In reality, venison refers to not solely deer meat, however elk, moose, caribou, antelope and pronghorn, too. The 2 principal sport meat locations within the space, the Fort in Morrison and the Buckhorn Change in Denver, each serve elk, however no deer meat. Eaters may even discover elk to prepare dinner at house from some meat purveyors such because the Native Butcher in RiNo’s Denver Central Market.

I used to be in a position to strive axis deer on the 2022 Little Nell Culinary Fest in Aspen, when chef Krista Garcia, government chef at Resort Wailea in Maui, introduced it together with her to prepare dinner on the lodge. It was, because the others say, merely fantastic.

Analysis with reference to native venison additionally introduced the deer-meat minimize referred to as the Denver leg to gentle. Sport skilled Jason Nauert, lovingly referred to as Jason the Butcher, says the Denver leg consists of seven muscular tissues within the again leg. In essence, he provides, it is a deboned model of a deer leg. As to why it is referred to as the Denver leg, he says he doesn’t know, however he mentions that folks merely appear to love to call issues after the Mile Excessive Metropolis (assume Denver omelet and Denver steak).

But although there’s a complete minimize of venison named after Denver, there aren’t many locations to really get it with out going out and looking a deer your self. As an alternative, skip the entire leg, and head to Olivia for a style of axis deer. Whereas it is not a neighborhood product, all the things in regards to the meat is constructive and, maybe extra essential, scrumptious.

Olivia is positioned at 290 Downing Avenue and is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday via Saturday. For extra data, go to oliviadenver.com.