Why Don Henrico's still makes Filipinos 'patikim'

MANILA, Philippines - H eidi Caroline Ng, managing director of Don Henrico’s, has her own theory about why the Italian restaurant chain is such a hit with Filipinos. “It’s because our culture is patikim. It’s like you’re not just happy with your own food; you want what someone else is having, so you ask the waiter, ‘What’s that? What are they having?’ So you want to share with others.”

Sharing is easy in Don Henrico’s, because the portions are really big, and there’s so much variety, you lose any inhibitions you might have about sampling other people’s plates, even if you’re not Filipino and used to feeling patikim.

You know Don Henrico’s: the family-style Italian eatery that began with a 75-seater branch on Session Road in Baguio back in 1993. It now has 10 branches (two in Baguio, one in Malate, one in Cebu, one in Tomas Morato, one in Greenhills, one in West Avenue, one in Santa Lucia East Grand Mall, and one in Festival Mall, Alabang).

But a few things have changed since the fictional mascot (Magellan’s traveling cook, according to restaurant lore) was first conceived. Most of the branches are now called “Don Henrico’s Ristorante,” a reflection of evolving, more adventurous tastes, perhaps. Though the creator of the chain, a young entrepreneur who has a talent of combining ingredients to create new tastes and appetizing inventions, quickly learned that, with Filipinos, “you can’t do hard-core Italian, because they prefer chunky pizzas, lots of toppings and flavors… and it has to be a little sweet,” the new menu offers more continental fare. The Anchovy Lover’s Pizza for instance brings a saltier flavor that, 10 years ago, might not have tantalized Filipino taste buds. Now it’s a hit.

“People now have more international tastes,” notes Heidi. “We used to have just three cheeses on our pizzas, now it’s quarto formaggio, we’ve added gorgonzola. Now Filipinos want capers, olives. We even have pasta pomodoro, which is just tomato sauce, but people like sour a little bit more.” 

Of course, the Don Henrico’s classics remain. “We have just improved our products by enhancing thier flavors using the finest ingredients,” Heidi adds. “Before our largest size was 14 inches, now the largest size is 18 inches. But we haven’t changed prices much, so we’re still giving value for money to our customers.”

You’ll still find the Don Henrico Supreme Pizza, Crispy Thin Onion Rings and Petite Mozzarella Sticks with special marinara sauce; but now the buffalo wings come in thigh, rib or breast, cooked the same way, served with their very own ranch dressing. The resto also caters to even bigger groups, offering not just “Share” size (2 to 3 people) but “Family” size as well (good for 4 to 5 people). And according to Heidi, no other place carries Strawberry Sans Rival. “I think we’re the only one that has it. It’s in reference to Don Henrico’s Baguio origins, with the strawberries.”

Another thing that’s changed: this year, Don Henrico’s is part of the Citibank Dining Privileges program. That means all the restaurant’s branches offer special discounts to Citibank Credit cardholders. For instance, customers can get a free order of   Dip & Nachos with a P1,500 purchase. And for a special period, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 23, customers get a free 14-inch Hawaiian Pizza with a P1,500 purchase at Don Henrico’s.

With Citibank Dining Privileges, the credit card company takes a lot of guesswork out of dining out. “Effectively, our customers chose this restaurant,” Norbert adds, “so with Dining Privileges, we take the choices out of their hands, saying you don’t have to worry about which restaurant gives you the best deal. The Dining Privileges guarantees you will get the best deal at this restaurant. If you find a better deal elsewhere at this restaurant, Citibank will reimburse the difference on your credit card bill.”

“If another credit card said, ‘We’ll give a 20-percent discount on a certain dish,’ we will match that, or reimburse the customer,” explains Heidi. “Let’s say you order the Hawaiian Pizza. If a customer gets that free with a P1,500 purchase, it’s a P450 value, so that’s almost a 30-percent discount. So that’s hard to beat.”

Dining has become a key category for Citibank card users, not just locally but throughout Southeast Asia, where people are looking for the best bargains and memorable dining experiences. “If you go to, say, Singapore,” says Norbert, “if there’s a restaurant with Dining Privileges, the credit card deal will apply there as well. We find that dining is an important category of spending, and we want to own this category.”

At the Mall of Asia branch, Don Henrico’s still has the nautical theme — wood interiors and floors, ropes and portholes decorating the place — but the legend of Don Henrico, fictional mascot that he is, has been downplayed for the more sophisticated market. “Maybe it was a little passé,” says Heidi. “But that’s part of our history.”

Still, the mascot shows up for Don Henrico’s theme parties. “A lot of people don’t know we actually do a lot of parties here,” points out Heidi. “How he looks in the logo, that’s how he looks live. The mascot will dance to Chris Brown songs, or whatever the kids want to hear at the party.” Just order the food separately, and “We will do everything for you: we supply the loot bags — you don’t have to go shopping in Divosoria — we do the hosting, the games and prizes (starting at P4,800 for 30 guests). You just have to show up.” Don Henrico’s also delivers, by the way. That’s surely tempting for any mom planning a big party. It’s enough to make other mothers patikim.

* * *

Don Henricos is located at Malate, Manila, 524-9134;Alabang, 850-3915 to 17;West Avenue, 371-7171; Mall of Asia, 556-2848; Greenhills Shopping Center, 571-3911;Tomas Morato, 332-2201, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, 681-5242; Baguio, (074) 442-8802; SM City Baguio, (074) 619-7808 and Ayala Center Cebu, 032) 234-1729.