Trouble
Natural wine + outstanding small plates + patio
We’ve rated Trouble as GREAT with three stars * * *
You can find all our rankings in the Restaurant Index
This new wine bar in the lower 9th is aptly named - I can see myself getting in all kinds of trouble here. It occupies the spot of (RIP) Pompette, and boasts chef Stefano De Carli in the kitchen. I first discovered him at a Mokoloco pop-up and deepened my crush when he was at the wine bar Passerina.
Trouble (like Pompette before it) is a small space. Velvet benches run along two walls of this small dining room, with room for just eight tables. But Trouble’s outdoor terrace effectively doubles their capacity in nice weather.
This dining room and terrace were managed, on the night of our visit, by just one excellent server / sommelier, with chef De Carli jumping in to deliver dishes. Here’s what we went wild for:
Feather-light tempura-fried endives with parmesan, citrus curd and Saba (a sticky syrup made by cooking down grape must) for 13€.
Roman-style artichoke with a sabayon of bear’s garlic, sautéed wild sorrel, taggiashe olives and grapes for 12€.
Tortelli stuffed with stracchini and split peas in a chilled springtime soup with peas and guanciale for 19€.
A veal meatball sandwich blanketed with smoky scamorza cheese and a salsa verde made with bitter puntarelle for 16€.
Wine by the glass is very simply priced - whites & reds (whatever they have open) cost 8€, orange wine is 9€, and bubbles are 10€. They also have a light and fruity house white made in collaboration with the domain Combe au Mas for 7€.
There are few bottles priced in the 30€ range, but the (very natural) selection grows more interesting and expensive from there. I’d be excited to taste Henri Milan with some age on it (77€),or revisit that Susucaru from Franck Cornelissen (45€), and I always love the Pineau d’Aunis from Clos Tue-Boeuf (50€). What would you drink,
?
Service is ultra-competent and friendly, prices are reasonable, and I can’t wait to hang out here in patio weather. Trouble doesn’t bother with reservations, so it’s a great place for a spontaneous drop-in.
TROUBLE
15 Rue Hippolyte Lebas, 75009
Open Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm to midnight
Closed Sunday & Monday
No reservations
STILL SEARCHING?
Our restaurant index organizes the restaurants we’ve anonymously visited since 2021 by location and ranks them all as:
GREAT * * *
GOOD * *
FINE *
NOT RECOMMENDED
Our Restaurant Index
On this page you’ll find a ranking of all the Paris restaurants that we’ve visited anonymously since the pandemic reopening (more than 260 at the latest count).
Give me a day! Lots on the list. And I think I need some
trouble in my life— but why don’t they list all of qthe vintages?