The Gate

It’s amazing to think how much the pub scene has changed over the generations. Rewind 20 years and think about the fixtures and hallmarks which decorated your local watering hole and made it the place to be on a Sunday afternoon. TV’s mounted to the corners of the drinking areas with the footy on full blast, frosty cold jugs of beer on tap and maybe even a TAB operator on site to place a flutter on the afternoon’s entertainment. Fast forward to the modern era, and the face of the typical pub has been transformed. Televised sporting action is often substituted out to attract a more refined crowd and being able to buy beer by the jug is almost impossible in Perth. Menus are becoming more sophisticated and the idea of a ‘pub lunch’ has changed from a greasy burger or fish and chips to grilled calamari or even a chicken salad. What in the world is going on?!

The Gate is one pub which seems to have captured the spirit of pub culture of the late 20^th century and it certainly seems to have captured a loyal fan base. Located in the Gateway Shopping Complex near the Cockburn train station, The Gate is probably best described as a 90’s pub with a modern finish. The pub itself is pretty sizable, taking advantage of relatively cheap cost of occupancy in the suburban location of Success. I ventured in on a Sunday afternoon to catch up with a mate over lunch and a few drinks. The interior is very attractive, with modern bistro fixtures and colours giving an open and welcoming feel. There is a large courtyard area which winds around the perimeter, with a couple of large indoor areas also available for a quieter and perhaps more intimate choice. Big screen TVs are littered all across the courtyard, so watching the big game(s) on the big screens has never been easier. One of the indoor areas also have TAB machines at the bar, as well as a couple of pool tables for those wanting a break from watching sports.

It was pretty busy on this Sunday afternoon, but we managed to find a table outside close to a couple of big screens. Both my mate and I love our footy, so it was great to see they were actually televising both live games at the time on two different screens around us. The bar has a pretty decent selection of beers (mostly domestic) on tap, and the beauty of The Gate is they serve beer by jugs, which is a rarity around pubs in Perth these days. We decided to order food at the bar shortly after (no table service), and being a bit short on cash that day we couldn’t go past their daily lunch special. Every day of the week between a specific time a lunch special is offered which is a choice between four meals (Seafood basket, fish and chips, beef burger and pizza) as well as a drink (middy/house wine/soft drink) and a $1 mystery bet, all for $15. For those after something else, they also have a regular menu of a few other pub favourites which range from about $15-25 each. We both decided to go with the fish and chips meal and within about 15 minutes our food arrived at the table. The fish was a large well battered fillet, which although tasty was a bit overcooked in my opinion. The chips were great and perfect for dipping in the leftover tartare sauce which partnered the fish. I actually forgot about the mystery bet that we were meant to claim with our meal, but for $15 all up I was well pleased.

The Gate is a nice modern take on 90’s pub culture, capturing all the elements which made the pub a perfect place to catch up with mates and watch the footy. The food quality and drink selection were reasonable and represented good value especially if you’re after a cheap bite for lunch. The crowd could have be considered a little questionable and although safe, probably not somewhere I would bring a young family. But hey, I guess that’s indicative of how this place represents how pubs used to be and in many aspects how things should still be. The location is a bit out of the way for inner city/metro city residents, but for a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon during footy season this does the job for me.