Chaya Venice pays homage to game season with a limited-engagement Venison Fair menu offered through Dec. 11.As a throwback to the seasonal food fairs Chaya Venice thew when they first opened their doors 20 years ago, Executive Chef Shigefumi Tachibe continues the tradition this fall with venison. At Venison Fair, dine on succulent venison dinner fare, paired with sweet and spicy ingredients and flavors. Venison chili con carne (pictured right) arrives both as chunks of succulent steak and more finely ground mixed with kidney, garbanzo and white beans; topped with pepper jack cheese and grilled country bread for savoring any leftover sauce. TexMex flavors continue with the Texas-spiced venison burger (smaller version pictured left) which is tender and accented with crispy bacon, pepper jack cheese, arugula, red cabbage; Fugi apple and red pepper chutney give the burger a lively sweet spice. For more of an Italian take savor tender venison meatballs top perfectly cooked pappardelle pasta sauced with fresh marinara and shaved Parmesan. The crown jewel of the menu (and Chef Tachibe’s favorite dish) is the roasted venison tenderloin with blueberry peppercorn sauce, which is accompanied by sauteed organic mushrooms, haricots verts, on top of a chestnut puree. For those of the faint of heart, venison can seem intimidating, but Chef Tachibe specially sources his venison from New Zealand where he finds it has less of a gamy quality sometimes found domestically.
Menu offered, Mon.-Thurs through Dec. 11. Chaya Venice, 110 Navy St., Venice, 310.396.1179. www.thechaya.com/venice