Anthony Perez vividly remembers the first time he tasted the Colorado delicacy Rocky Mountain oysters. Perez was 16 years old and had just begun working at Buckhorn Exchange, an iconic Denver restaurant that first opened its doors in 1893. Its menu harkens back to the Old West, showcasing the types of game that would have been available to indigenous tribes and settlers of that era.
As locals know, these oysters don’t come from the sea. They’re actually bull testicles that chefs at The Buckhorn Exchange slice thin, bread and then fry. They’re served as an appetizer with three house sauces for dipping.
“They were really good,” Perez recalls of his first experience, “until they told me what they were.”
Perez wasn’t deterred, however. Today, he is the general manager of Buckhorn Exchange, where he delights in pushing diners outside their comfort zone with its array of unusual meats that are emblematic of Colorado’s history. And he’s not alone.
Wild game is something of a regional specialty and popular among tourists, restaurant owners say. Contrary to its moniker, wild game like buffalo and elk is now farmed throughout the U.S. and some Colorado locales even serve meat raised locally.
Craving a taste? Here are eight restaurants where you can dig into the wild side.
Buckhorn Exchange
In addition to Rocky Mountain oysters, guests at Buckhorn Exchange can try entrees featuring buffalo and elk steaks, quail and Cornish game hen. Perez recommends the blackened buffalo prime rib, which comes with garlic mashed potatoes. He described buffalo, also known as bison, as leaner, sweeter and more tender compared to beef. “Once you taste it you’ll be converted, I’m 100% sure of that,” Perez said.
Those looking for just a bite can opt for apps like the buffalo sausage, fried alligator tail or the sirloin game tips plate that includes choice cuts of beef, bison and elk sauteed with mushrooms. The restaurant also serves rattlesnake seasonally in the summer. But recently there’s been a shortage, Perez said, so if itap available, don’t miss your chance.
1000 Osage St., Denver. 303-534-9505. .
The Fort Restaurant
The Fort Restaurant in Morrison takes guests back in time, from the ambiance to the menu offerings. Owner Holly Arnold Kinney’s family built The Fort – a literal replica of – in 1961. As she tells it, construction on the property drained the family’s bank accounts and inspired them to open a restaurant in 1963 to pay back loans. Given the family amassed a library of 3,000 history books, including cookbooks from the Old West, The Fort specializes in 19th-century dining.
Buffalo is served many ways here, inspired by the indigenous people’s commitment to using the whole animal back in the day. Dishes include buffalo prime rib, buffalo empanadas and buffalo bone marrow. The Historian’s Platter also features buffalo tongue alongside buffalo sausage and other accoutrements. The most popular dish is The Fort’s Game Plate, which comes with a bone-in elk chop, a buffalo sirloin medallion, and grilled teriyaki quail. The restaurant also serves a sampler of game sausages featuring rabbit, rattlesnake, and antelope, and crisp, bite-size Rocky Mountain oysters for any occasion.
“We’ve even had some women come up celebrating their divorce with platters of Rocky Mountain oysters,” Arnold Kinney said.
19192 CO-8, Morrison. 303-697-4771. .
Cafe Jordano
An Italian restaurant may seem like an unusual place to find buffalo, but itap been on the menu at Lakewood’s Cafe Jordano since opening in 1991. Owner Elisa Sicuranza and her ex-husband did not want to serve veal because of ethical concerns about how the animals were raised. Being in the Mountain West, they decided to substitute buffalo and prepare it as they would veal – pounded thin – for a variety of traditional pasta dishes like Buffalo Parmigiana and Buffalo Alla Cocciatore. Cafe Jordano also developed some original recipes, for example, the Buffalo Royal featuring a cream sauce made with cognac and mushrooms.
11068 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood. 303-988-6863. .
Elk Avenue Prime
Game is particularly popular in Colorado’s mountain towns, where visitors are surrounded by the natural wilderness, said Cody Penton, senior executive chef of Elk Avenue Food and Beverage. Three of the company’s four restaurants in Crested Butte currently serve game in some respect, but its steakhouse, Elk Avenue Prime, boasts the most options. The top seller is an elk strip loin, but Penton said not to sleep on the buffalo strip thatap dry- aged for 24 days. Though the menu often rotates seasonally, Penton expects he’ll always feature some wild game. “We’re able to get our hands on some pretty exceptional products here while also giving people what they want,” he said.
226 Elk Ave., Crested Butte. 970-349-1221. .
Appaloosa Grill
Endearingly known as The Horse, Appaloosa Grill is a 24-year-old Denver classic serving game with a side of live music. Bison comes in a variety of dishes, from chili to burgers and even a bison pastrami Reuben sandwich. Craving a steak? Choose from bison filet, T-bone and New York strip. There’s also an elk burger that comes topped with goat cheese, cream cheese, serrano ham, grape compote and arugula.
535 16th St., Suite 110, Denver. 720-932-1700. .
’D
Diners looking for something more casual than a steakhouse can try buffalo and elk between bread at ’D in Golden. Both meats come “corned and smoked” and dressed to mouthwatering delight. The Buffalo Reuben, featuring the traditional sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing, is a good gateway bite. More adventurous eaters can opt for recipes like the Oxford – buffalo with blue cheese aioli, mozzarella, tomato, basil, mixed greens and olive oil – and The Big Boy, an elk sub with baked beans, barbecue Dijon, celery, coleslaw, onions and cayenne honey.
1207 Washington Ave., Golden. .
Edwards Meats
Though Edwards Meats in Wheat Ridge is primarily a butcher shop, it also has a deli that offers corned buffalo and corned elk as meat options. You’ll have to build your own sandwich, but staff can help guide you through the flavors. (Think of it as a good substitute for corned beef, with a similar cure and seasoning, one person recently suggested.) Edwards sells many other types of game to take home, including buffalo, venison, elk, rabbit, pheasant and quail.
12280 West 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge. 303-422-4397. .
The Wapiti Colorado Pub
Wapiti is a native word for “elk,” originally from the Cree or Shawnee languages meaning white rump. The namesake of this Estes Park eatery, elk are often visible hanging out downtown and are a quintessential part of the mountain community. As an ode to the wilderness, guests will find a Centennial State Burger on the menu, featuring either an elk or bison patty topped with provolone cheese and grilled onions. The restaurant also serves fried Rocky Mountain oysters with cocktail sauce.
1350 Fall River Road, Estes Park. 970-586-5056. .
Bonus: Wild game for drinking and grilling
Wynkoop Brewing Co.
What began as an April Fool’s joke in 2012 turned into a beer thatap on tap year-round at Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Co. Each batch of the Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout is brewed with about 40 pounds of roasted bull testicles, lending a signature smoky and meaty flavor to the drink. (Actually, head brewer Kat Hess suspects the grain bill has more to do with the flavor, but we’re not one to take away from the novelty.)
1634 18th St., Denver. 303-297-2700. .
Sam’s Meat Market
Grill masters can find a wide variety of game to cook at home at Sam’s Meat Market in Aurora. Meats run the gamut from bison and elk to exotic options like antelope, rabbit, rattlesnake, wild boar, yak, kangaroo, ostrich and snapping turtle.
2300 S. Chambers Road, #D, Aurora. 303-696-6146. .
