Just what is it with men and Dencio’s?

Now, now. Is it just me, or does the affinity Filipino men in general have for Dencio’s Grille compare to the way kids—well, Filipino kids, at least—feel towards Jollibee or McDonald’s? Dencio’s, Gerry’s—it’s all the same, and in my experience the average man will go to whichever is nearby.

 

Just today, I had lunch with my blockmates Gia, Ross, Jun, Don, Noel and Val. Since we went to Mall of Asia, having been let out early for lunch, I figured that the change of scenery would mean trying out a restaurant different from the usual fare we have in the good ol’ Malate area, where the hospital we all work in is located.

 

So when the guys started to gravitate towards Congo Grille and stood outside it looking at its menu, I myself was drawn towards the restaurant in front of it, Tokyo Café. I’ve never tried it before, and I’ve never heard any reviews about it, but the chicken teriyaki salad, shrimp and garlic pasta, and the various crepes they had on display looked awfully tempting.

 

As it was, I was the only one who got tempted. Well, save for Gia, who did say that the crepes looked yummy. But it was a decision that had to be made between 3 girls and 4 guys, and the guys obviously did not find the food Tokyo Café had on display tempting at all. Okay, okay. The "food" may have just been plastic replicas, but they still looked delicious.

 

So I was, like, “I’m fine with whatever.” And the guys were, like, “Okay, let’s look around.” So we looked around, and ended up in, surprise, surprise, Gerry’s Grille.

 

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against Dencio’s, Gerry’s, or whatever grille whatnots these people can come up with. It’s just that I can’t help but wonder about why men love these grilles so much. Today’s lunch is just one example. And well, I’d have to say that, of the men I’ve dated so far, about 7 in 10 have taken me at least once to a Dencio’s or a Gerry’s. It’s not that I really keep track, and it’s just a rough figure, but you get my drift.

 

Hey, I love barbeque. I love crispy pata. I love grilled squid. I love liempo. And hey, sisig—the all-time guy favorite, a must-have on any meal had at Dencio’s or Gerry’s, and hell, exactly what you smell like when you step out of the grille—well, sisig’s great too.

 

So you see, I’m not really complaining. Well, okay, a little more creativity and variety would be very much appreciated. But as I’ve said, I’m just terribly curious. Sure, I’ve asked a few guys. But to tell me that they go for Dencio’s or Gerry’s simply because they like the food… no, that answer doesn’t satisfy me at all.

 

But then again, this could just be a classic example of a female trying to pick at the male’s brain. If that were the case, then I’d just have to tell myself to move on. The male is a simple animal, everybody knows that, and we complicated females just have to take them as they present themselves.

 

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Isn’t it funny then, that the ones who got to the average Filipino man’s stomach were men named Dencio and Gerry?