Up next were our entrees. The coconut crusted tilapia didn’t have the exotic flavor that I had been hoping for, but it was a nice size helping of fabulously crunchy tilapia atop a bed of fresh spinach that wilted obligingly under the fish, accompanied by a stellar tropical dipping sauce that was a perfect blend of hot and sweet. The mashed potatoes that took up half the plate were quite good and it was quite apparent while tasting them that it was absolutely not pareve. The generous portion of spinach cheese ravioli in pink sauce, dusted with a light layer of Parmesan, was fabulously seasoned. There was enough spinach tucked inside the ravioli to keep it from fading into the cheese. And the sauce had just the right amount of kick.
While The Purple Pear may be famous for its cinnamon buns, we went a different route. The meringue mousse cake, with layers of chocolate mousse atop a thin layer of cake and topped with a few strips of meringue was good, but the star of the show were the churros. Deep-fried, still warm, slightly moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, these cinnamon-sugared strips of dough, served with a chocolate caramel sauce and a small portion of ice cream, are a must order. Best of all, while some restaurants choose to serve miniscule portions of desserts, this was a generous helping of crunchy carb goodness that was the perfect ending to a deliciously dissolute meal – and went well with the lightly sweetened and heavily whipped creamed caramel macchiato.
Expect to pay $6-10 per person for appetizers and soups, $8-16 for sandwiches or wraps, $10-16 for salads, and $11-28 for entrees. Be sure to try the French Onion Soup in a bread boule and the French Fries, which are more than a little addictive.
No write-up of The Purple Pear would be complete without giving special mention to the dazzling array of drinks and desserts so vast that it rates its own menu. Ranging from the conventional (muffins, chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, frozen yogurts and ice cream sundaes) to the depraved (peanut butter mousse bar, cinnamon buns, chocolate pecan bar) to the eat-enough-carbs-and-sugar-to-blow-your-diet-for-a-month dessert platter – which filled an entire dinner plate and features five desserts, chocolate syrup, caramel syrup and whipped cream – there is something here to end your meal on a high note. Have a hankering for a great drink? There are oven a dozen varieties of coffee on the menu, as well as hot chocolate, hot vanilla, cider, tea, an assortment of mixed drinks and enough shakes, frappes and smoothies to keep everyone at your table happy.
Located at 106 Route 59 just off of Route 306 in Monsey and under the rabbinical supervision of Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech, be sure to check out The Purple Pear for a light snack, an indulgent treat, a casual meal or just about anything in-between.