Over the course of my recent visits to Corralitos steakhouse, I’ve gained a deeper insight
into some of the more gendered undertones present than I had as a former employee. This space
in particular is located on the far west side of El Paso, along the side of a barren road that
stretches miles. Corralitos is a steakhouse, bar, and lounge located on Doniphan St. The symbol
for Corraitos is a glowing, red bull. As a mentioned earlier in the project, I feel the design of this
symbol plays on the interests and likes of the ‘manly’ man.
As you enter the parking lot the face of the building and its outside dining areas become
visible. From a first glance, one may notice that the outside patio areas features a style of décor
that is different from that of the rest of the restaurant. The patio tables are supported by thin,
interwoven, rod iron stands. With complementing white marble as the table surface. The chairs
are made with the same rod iron and have intrinsic floral designs woven into the back support of
the chair. I didn’t realize the importance of the gender clashing designs until I read an article in
the New York Times. Frank Bruni authored the article, “Old Gender Roles With Your Dinner”,
in it he mentions that many steakhouses have tried to be less one dimensionally ‘beefy’ and
monochromatic in an attempt to lure more women. Some of the other details discussed by Bruni
in his article include the brightness of the lights, along with how balanced the menu items are
from a lean to a heavier meal. Considering that Corralitos is exploring these new developments
in attitude show how modernized their concept is.
Throughout my visits to Corralitos I’ve discovered one fact for certain and that is how
ubiquitous the Spanish language is. It follows logic that at a west Texas steakhouse with a
Spanish-Mexican name you would come to find people of that heritage. During one of my first
afternoon sessions at Corralitos I was greeted by a Chihuahua born young woman named Jessica
whose first language is Spanish. She was more than able to cross culture barriers to make me feel
welcomed at the door, but at the same time she reserved her ability to engage in a second
conversation in fluent Spanish. There also appeared to be a trend in customers being of the same
ethnic background as most employees. From my observations on days two and three, Mexican
Americans are the most frequently visiting group of people.
I expect that the visual rhetoric being applied by restaurant owners can account for such a
majority in Hispanic clientele. The outside of the restaurant is a sandy brown that gives the
impression that the steakhouse itself is indigenous to that particular plot of desert. This could be
an example of logos in that some individual being native to El Paso, sees the establishment and
follows this train of thought, “I’m from here, this appears to belong here, I might belong in
there.” When you enter, an entirely different setting unfolds. The many longhorn skulls on the
walls keep the rugged outdoors alive inside, but the burnt orange and clay tiles along with dark
wooden furnishings inspire other emotions in the guests. Referring back to, “Old Gender Roles
With Your Dinner,” an example of Corralitos being less monochromatic can be seen in the
contrasting of the black leather booth seats and table cloth on the Mediterranean style tile floor.
In my opinion, this increases the sex appeal of the dining room itself, making it a more desirable
place to be for women accompanying men or women amongst themselves.
When I contemplate the importance of gender here in this space I feel as though it is vital.
The concept is built on the idea of a ranch—spaces usually ran by men. In the article, “The
Gender Blur,” Deborah quotes endocrinologist Marc Breedlove “Yes, we’re born with
predispositions, but its society that amplifies them, exaggerates them…” (Blum 681). I think the
quote by Dr. Breedlove can be applied to Corralitos in a sense it exaggerates the cattle-ranch
scenery, and amplifies its appeal by adding black leather upholstery and various cowhides.
In summation, when I try to imagine this space without accounting gender. I fail to
visualize the slightest semblance of the steakhouse as it is. An outside gazebo equipped with a
charcoal grill is all that comes to mind when focusing on function rather than characteristics of
gender. I think the gendered markers that are present play a crucial role in the success of the
restaurant. When you dine at Corralitos, you expect to feel, see, taste, and smell new and
unfamiliar things. Therefore, if you’re presented with gendered stimulus to lead you toward a
desired emotion or mindset, one may be able to leave with a more full understanding of what
Corralitos is, and what they have to offer you.
Works Cited
Blum, Deborah. “The Gender Blur.” Where Does Biology End And Society Take Over.
679-681.
Bruni, Frank. “Old Gender Roles With Your Dinner.” Wine & Dining. The New York Times.
Pub. 7 October, 2008.