Half a decade following its re-do, and with a new chef who delivers, the Peacock Inn's plumage is as impressive as ever.
More than five years after its transformation into a leading player on New Jersey's restaurant stage, the Peacock Inn's radiant culinary plumage continues to dazzle, boosted by polished service that hits exactly the right note.
This is the way a restaurant should be run, with superb food and knowledgeable staff to provide guidance in an atmosphere that is both classic and comfortable.
Tables with cushy chairs are spaced at a civilized distance, and the food always is creative without over-reaching. Touches from around the world add excitement to the meal.
Standing out on an outstanding menu is a dreamy parsnip soup ($14), made with brown butter, seckel pear for sweetness, a touch of Taleggio cheese and to crown it, succulent lobster.
I could write a dissertation about the on-point deliciousness of the signature sauteed ricotta gnocchi ($18/$30), burnished on the outside, exquisitely soft on the inside, playing off asparagus tips and oven-roasted tomatoes.
Local swordfish ($38), more tender than its usual rendition, is served with such fanciful additions as mousseron (various small mushrooms); sunchoke and coconut jus.
Portuguese octopus ($19) is a favorite enhanced by fingerling potatoes, sweet shishito peppers, black garlic and morcilla, that intense Spanish blood sausage.
There are no cliches among the choices, including a treatment of Cervena venison ($49) from New Zealand made pertinent for autumn with the addition of huckleberry, chestnut and sourdough spatzle.
Littleneck clam broth surrounds a sleek snowy mini-mountain of Nordic cod ($38) illuminated with corona beans, escarole and marjoram, while it appreciates a pop from bold peppers.
A nicely compiled wine list has the expensive choices one would expect in a restaurant of this caliber that has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The 2009 Penfolds Grange red from South Australia, for instance, is $900, but there also are a good number of options in the $29-$40 arc. Wines by the glass start at $11 for the Ca' Montini Pinot Grigio, ranging to $28 for the Faust Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley.
The inn had a rather rocky road for far too long, until owner Barry Sussman undertook several years of renovations and restoration of the historic building that started life in the 18th Century as a private home. Sussman's son, Scott, handles marketing and is director of the 16-room boutique hotel that also occupies the premises. Family pride is evident in the polished way the Peacock operates.
When the chef who had been with the restaurant since its successful 2010 reopening moved on, Jason Ramos took over and the kitchen continued to excel. Most recently, Ramos served as executive sous chef of the highly regarded Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster. But he has played a role at many excellent establishments in the state, where he worked with such respected chefs as Anthony Bucco (Stage Left in New Brunswick), Stanley Novak (Harvest Moon Inn, Ringoes) and Andrew Lattanzio (Artisan Kitchen, Lebanon, and the Pluckemin Inn).
Desserts ($10), with various delicious moving parts, have been given the benefit of as much thought and craft as what precedes them. I was wary of the sweetness quotient I anticipated in a warm, sticky toffee date cake with toffee sauce. Yet tempered with house-made vanilla-bean ice cream, it simply achieved pleasant glow.
A new one on me was the speculoos mousse torte, made with spiced biscuits popular around the holidays in parts of western Europe. A milk and dark chocolate ganache gave this clever structure, while strategically placed dabs of marshmallow creme and a perky ginger/cardamom ice cream made the torte a completely original experience.
For a different take on cheesecake, try the goat cheese and creme fraiche variety, softened by honey granola and raspberry yuzu sorbet.
Guests yearning for more dishes than they would consume via a conventional dinner can find satisfaction in a five-course tasting menu. It is available for $105, but must be ordered by the entire table. With wine, the tab is $155; with a grand wine pairing, $185.
A few other points: The regular menu may be ordered in the bar during dining room hours, but the tasting menu is not available there. Parking, generally an issue in Princeton, is handled by valets at no charge.
This is a destination restaurant that's worth a trip for those who value truly fine dining in all its glory.
IF YOU GO
Peacock Inn, 20 Bayard Lane, Princeton. (609) 924-1707. peacockinn.com. Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sundays
Cody Kendall may be reached at CodyDine@aim.com. Follow Cody on Twitter@CodyDine. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.