The team at Restaurant Olivia loves to create immersive experiences for their guests. Through special dinners, they’re able to take diners on an incredible culinary journey that excites and inspires the palate. This weekend, Restaurant Olivia is hosting a special truffle dinner inspired by a recent trip to Italy that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
If you’ve followed Restaurant Olivia for a while, you probably heard about — or experienced — the Greek dinner series several months ago. Owners Ty Leon, Austin Carson and Heather Morrison traveled with their staff to Greece to visit wineries and restaurants and experience Greek culture to bring an authentic Greek dinner to guests here in Colorado.
Last month Leon, Carson and Morrison were at it again — this time in Italy. The trio gathered inspiration for Restaurant Olivia’s next dinner series that centers around Alba white truffles from Piedmont. “There’s a sultry nature to truffles that is unlike any food I’ve ever experienced. I feel like you can taste the sensuousness of them,” explained Morrison.
Alba white truffles are one of the most expensive foods on the planet and typically cost around $4,000 per pound. The delicacy grows underground and foragers use pigs or dogs to help seek their scent. Morrison, Leon and Carson went on a truffle hunt while in Piedmont and discovered three truffles with the help of a well-trained dog. “The relationship between the truffle hunter and dog is incredible,” said Morrison.
Restaurant Olivia purchased white and black truffles from that farm in Piedmont and will serve both varieties in the seven-course dinners this weekend. The white truffles will be freshly shaved over handmade pasta dishes while the black truffles will be cooked in dishes like risotto. “That intoxicating smell coming up through the steam of the dish is almost magical,” said Morrison. There will be parmesan in almost every dish — according to Morrison parmesan goes incredibly well with truffles — and there will even be black truffles shaved over hazelnut gelato for dessert. Italian wines from vineyards the owners visited while in Italy will be paired with each course to enhance the truffle-rich dishes.
If you’ve never experienced the luxury of truffles, a visit to Restaurant Olivia is definitely one of the best ways to do so. The truffle dinner costs $375 per person — including gratuity — and will be served on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Reservations can be made on Tock.
Restaurant Olivia is located at 290 S. Downing St, Denver. Open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.