Pears

Pears can be sweet and buttery or tart and crunchy. Either way, they make delectable desserts.

* Bouchon: They make two pear desserts at this quaint Melrose bistro. One is a whole Anjou pear poached in light syrup and served with a bittersweet chocolate sauce. The other (available by the slice) is a pear frangipane: a flaky crust spread with a layer of almond cream, covered with a fan of thinly sliced Bartlett pears, the whole thing dressed with creme anglaise. (Anjou poire belle, $5; pear frangipane, $5.) Bouchon, 7661 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 852-9400.

* Water Grill: This elegant downtown seafood house serves Port-poached Bosc pears with a mixture of creme frai^che and mascarpone and a garnish of candied pecans. (Red wine poached Bosc pear, $8.50.) Water Grill, 544 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 891-0900.

* Jozu: This kitchen likes to take classic ideas and give them a Pacific Rim spin. The Asian pear tart is a buttery, flaky crust spread with a thin layer of pecan pastry cream, covered with crunchy Asian pears and served with a scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream for a striking combination of textures and flavors. (Asian pear tart, $7.) Jozu, 8360 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 655-5600.

* Five Feet: There’s no dessert list here, since the menu changes daily, but more often than not you find a chocolate ganache pear tart. It starts with a Bosc pear poached in Port wine and a little raspberry vinegar; this is filled with walnut chocolate ganache, wrapped in puff pastry and baked with a honey glaze sprinkled with sesame seeds. Depending on the kitchen’s mood, it comes with a variety of sauces. (Chocolate ganache pear tart, $7 to $9 depending on sauce.) Five Feet, 328 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, (949) 497-4955.

* Figaro: This new brasserie whips up a sumptuous pear souffle. It comes perfectly golden brown with a dollop of raspberry jam in the center. It’s airy and layered with pear slices. Chef Haidi Argoune won’t divulge a thing about the recipe. (Hot pear souffle/ souffle chaud a la poire de vigne, $8.75.) Figaro, 1802 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, (323) 662-1587.

* Perroche: This intimate bistro just added a rustic pear dessert to its menu--a whole Comice pear baked with Marsala, white wine, brown sugar, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla. It’s served it in its juices with a scoop of creme frai^che. (Baked pear with Marsala, $6.) Perroche, 11929 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 766-1179.