Right before lockdown started, there was a handful of places that I had on my to-visit list, including the then-recently opened Pompette. The wine bar’s name is a rather cutesy word for “tipsy,” and with a lovely list of natural wines and an Anglo sensibility thanks to Canadian chef Jordan Robinson (formerly of Frenchie) and som Jess Hodges, I expected I’d find something here to love. I did: the fried chicken here positively blew me away.
But let’s begin at the beginning.
We started our meal with empanadas. The pockets of beef mince were wrapped in a turmeric-tinged pastry. While unfortunately a bit dry, the seasoning here was on point.
The next dish was pitch perfect: summer courgettes with a delightful char on them that nevertheless remained crisp and toothsome within. Paired with a few spoonfuls of bright salmon roe, puffed wild rice, seasoned yogurt, and herbs, they proved to be everything I love so much about plant-forward dishes.
We also sampled a dish of sucrine lettuce with tahini miso, hazelnuts, and bottarga. I found this flavor combination really interesting, but unfortunately, sucrine itself can be a bit bland. It might have been nice to have this plated in a different way so that there was more flavor in each bite.
And then, of course, there was the chicken. Oh, the chicken. It was tender, almost pornographically juicy, and phenomenally flavored. I loved the white BBQ sauce accompaniment, and I could have demolished an entire plate of those pickles. We seriously contemplated doubling down and having a second order.
Luckily, instead, we saved room for dessert, and the meal ended with a bang: this corn cake topped with half-whipped cream and fresh, seasonal cherries. The cake itself was sort of like a northern-style cornbread – ultra tender and just sweet enough.
For now, Pompette is open only on the terrace, but like all Parisian restaurants, it should soon have a few indoor tables too. I’m looking forward to returning to sample even more of the chef’s delightful food – and even more of these gorgeous natural wines.
Pompette - 15 Rue Hippolyte Lebas, 75009