Pull up a stool at Pleased to Meet You, where Clint Nolan has again proven that he’s on the money. You may not know Nolan, but you doubtless know of La Cholita in Northbridge, Who’s Your Mumma in Freo and the gone-but-not-forgotten Harvest. Nolan has a formidable track record and a growing reputation as the king of informal dining. With his latest venture the crown may be assured.
It’s set on the edges of Northbridge, with no signage here, no name, just a number. There’s no reservations; everyone is welcome. Here you’re just as likely to find middle-aged couples taking in a pre-theatre feed as you are a bunch of Millennials, setting themselves up for the night ahead. Long, high sharing tables, bare brick and counter ordering for food give a canteen vibe that allows you to take drinks at the table and order when ready.
The menu tackles the east with a riff on banh mi and bau before taking a jump to the Americas, with sliders, tacos and empanadas. Loaded with crisp salt and pepper squid, the banh mi ($8.5) delivers alongside a handle of 4 Pines Kolsch. Sweet, smoky and ever so moist, the pulled pork sliders ($9), like the beef tongue Ruben bau ($6), are best ordered in multiples. Save a trip to the till for a second or even third order.
While some choices are less about sharing (roast pork ramen, barbecue flank steak), it’s the small plates coupled with the bar-room atmosphere that are the not-so secret secret to its success. It feels cohesive, in a way that others dabbling in this space are not. The difference? A menu that is tight and well pitched on price.
