Armande, a charming restaurant-caterer-pâtisserie where everything is homemade in Montmartre

Up there, high up on the Butte Montmartre, hides a charming caterer-restaurant-pâtisserie (all at once, yes!) that's more than worth losing your lungs and a few life points to reach. Named Armande after Judi Dench's character in the film Le Chocolat, this minimalist place with its small terrace and large counter displaying goodies has more than one trick up its sleeve to win hearts.

Opened by chef Margaux Bellorgey and Sébastien Aubé, two friends who met in Saint-Barth (one founding the pastry shop Une Part de Gâteau, the other setting up several businesses including Burger Palace and Heiko), Armande opts for (false) simplicity, unveiling a short but effective menu of family dishes.

Our guiding principle is to rely on choice, local, seasonal ingredients, sourced responsibly from small-scale producers. Beauty and goodness in recipes inspired by the two owners' travels, from Saint-Barth to Sri Lanka and Andalusia.

Neatcrab bun (13.50€), topped with crab claw crumble, celery, green apple, carrot, chives and mayonnaise; banh mi (13€) with shredded French beef ; addictive gnocchi with zaatar (13€), fried rosemary and parmesan cream; red bean hummus and sesame oil; coleslaw and anchovy mayonnaise; cold fennel and green apple soup... Simple yet generous recipes that evoke Sunday family lunches.

Most classic diets are represented, including the aforementioned vegan mayonnaise and chestnut cake. Vegetarians, meanwhile, can find a varied selection of salads, subject to seasonal change.

In charge of the sweet score, chef Margaux Bellorgey, full of bonhomie and a willingness to please, unveils a showcase of pastries laid out to perfection, like the lemon meringue tart (6.50€), sprinkled with black lemon and bergamot ; the black sesame and coffee tartelette (6.50€), very lightly sweetened; the devilish chocolate-hazelnut babka (4€) or the melt-in-your-mouth Basque cheesecake.

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As for Armande's chocolate (5€), revisited with coconut milk and Peruvian chili, it's apparently worth the trip on its own. It's decided, we'll gladly go back!