Venison

As winter approaches, farm-raised venison is showing up on more and more menus across town. Chefs are matching the tender, lean red meat with winter fruits, root vegetables, wild mushrooms--and chestnuts.

* Rix: Chef Neal Fraser roasts Cervena venison from New Zealand and serves it with winter greens, kabocha squash flan, a huckleberry demi-glace and apple turnip conserve. Also look for venison on game tasting menus. (Venison, $25.) Rix, 1413 5th, Santa Monica, (310) 656-9688.

* Patina: Rack of roasted-on-the-bone Cervena venison is served sliced with a wild forest mushroom torte, celery root coulis and either lingonberries or persimmons. Venison is served both as an entree and as one course of a tasting menu. (Venison entree, $34.) Patina, 5955 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 467-1108.

* Saddlepeak Lodge: Tucked in the wilds of the Santa Monica Mountains, this rustic lodge is famous for its game, including mesquite-grilled venison chops, which are served with a Madeira sauce along with asparagus, portabello mushrooms and a potato tart. (Venison, $32.75.) Saddlepeak Lodge, 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas, (818) 222-3888.

* JiRaffe: Chefs Josiah Citrin and Rafael Lunetta roast three medallions of venison (from the famous Millbrook Farm in New York), then give them a pink peppercorn-pomegranate sauce and serve them with sweet and sour cabbage, quinces poached in vanilla-orange juice, caramelized pearl onions and roasted chestnuts. (Venison, $28.) JiRaffe, 502 Santa Monica Blvd., (310) 917-6671.

* Knoll’s Black Forest Inn: For a classically German entree, try the roasted loin of venison sauced with Calvados and served with a grilled onion stuffed with cherries and potato pancakes. (Venison, $24.50.) Knoll’s Black Forest Inn, 2454 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-2212.

* La Cachette: Chef Jean Francois Meteigner roasts a filet of New Zealand venison and serves it with a Cabernet-blueberry sauce, a chestnut and celery root puree, mushroom-and-meat ravioli sauteed crisp and a sprinkling of sauteed blueberries. (Venison, $26.) La Cachette, 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 470-4992.

* Vincenti: Chef Gino Angelini serves his tasty wood-roasted filet of venison with a blueberry sauce, a potato puree, a pear poached in red wine and a black pepper-flecked tagliatelle. (Venison, $28.) Vincenti Ristorante, 11930 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, (310) 207-0127.

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inthemood@pacbell.net.