Walnuts, pecans and almonds can be scattered on pear desserts and salads or used in the batter of pear cakes.

The dessert list is the most complicated part of the menu, with many components and pretentious names like "Study of Pear," for a dish combining pear ice cream, pear cake and poached pear compote.

The pear cake, which works as a dessert or a breakfast item, is so simple that only an active campaign of sabotage could ruin it.

But we decided on a little pear cake with pistachio sauce and a fairly incredible hazelnut semifreddo (in this case, essentially ice cream) with hot chocolate sauce.

Another is a pear cake infused with amaretto and strewn with toasty almonds.

The crème brûlée is flavoured with vanilla and star anise, and comes with a roasted pear cake.

Small items include pear cakes, cream rolls and tarts, and you can also order apple pie, strudel and larger cakes.

Gratin of creme brulee is another worthy indulgence - better than a dry chestnut layer cake and boring pear cake.

The torta di mele is a low, thin, perfectly thrilling apple tart, and the pear cake was practically all pear, served with cream and powdered sugar.

A lightly spiced pear cake ($12) is deliciously moist.