The Peekamoose is a find for those seeking NYC-quality food in a rustic setting. Owned by a former chef at New York's famed Gramercy Tavern, the Peekamoose strives to provide innovative takes on classic American dishes, using fresh ingredients that come largely from local organic markets and suppliers.

The combinations the chef devises are simply amazing: some items on the menu include rabbit fricassee with calamata olives and beets; jumbo sea scallops with parsnips, pancetta and butternut broth; and lamb shank with rosemary polenta and goat's milk yogurt. The emphasis is understandably on heartiness, this being a lodge filled with taxidermy and antler chandeliers in the middle of the woods. The menu also changes periodically, using vegetables when they are in season. When I went recently, I enjoyed a fresh beet salad with pears and apples on a bed of chicory with blue cheese, and a pork tenderloin with homemade sweet potato gnocchi and brussel sprouts. Both dishes were outstanding -- note worthy not just for the interesting mix of ingredients, but also for the way the tastes balanced one another. The meal also wasn't heavy, which is surprising given the prevalence of meat n' potatoes on the menu.

Peekamoose is fine dining, but the atmosphere is relatively relaxed. The place was once an old farmhouse built at the turn of the century, and much of that charm remains. The main dining room has a beautiful cathedral wooden ceiling and is painted a deep red, giving the space a quiet, romantic ambience. There are several smaller rooms, as well, including a private dining area complete with a fireplace and several large modern artworks on the walls. In the back is a bar, with low rafters supporting a number of stuffed critters -- some of which, interestingly enough, appear on the menu.