Buffalo Wild Wings (B-Dubs)

Buffalo Wild Wings, or "B-dubs" is my all time favorite FRANCHISE place for wings, hands down. They have about fourteen regular sauce selections and four different dry rubs or seasonings. I'm not a huge fan of the dry rubs but they are pretty good. I usually go for the sauces, my favorite being the Parmesan Garlic, followed closely by Jammin' Jalapeno. After that I love the Mango Habanero (that's about as hot as I can take!) and the Caribbean Jerk. I always go Traditional wings. For some reason they taste so much better than the Boneless. Their potato wedges are awesome too, and I prefer ranch on the side (not a big fan of Bleu Cheese). I tried their ribs once and was not impressed at all. Most BWW have lunch specials where you can get ten Traditional wings plus fries or wedges for about $8. The location nearest where I work (on Chester Street by Park Meadows in Centennial, CO), however, does an "Unlimited Wings" M-F 11 AM to 2 PM, $9.99 for Traditional, $10.99 for Boneless. You get unlimited fries or wedges too. That usually makes for about a two-hour lunch, though, because I usually do either 18 or 24 wings (you order 6 at a time after the initial 12) plus wedges. Some places don't offer this special, and even this location stops it from time to time. When they have it, though, I put a serious dent in their profit margin for that day! The atmosphere is great too, if you like sports. They usually have numerous TVs with multiple games on. If you join their "Buffalo Circle" on their web site, each year on your anniversary of joining they send you a certificate for six free wings! I love this place!
Web site: www.buffalowildwings.com

 

French Quarter Grill

Whenever I have to go to Fort Walton Beach, Florida for work, I always make it a point at least once to head North a few miles to Niceville, where tucked away and somewhat hard to find is a Cajun place called French Quarter Grill. The prices are a bit high, dinner plates start at around $15 and up, but it is worth every penny! These dishes are loaded with flavor! My favorite is the Seafood Nantua for $18 which is "sauteed shrimp and crawfish in a creamy corn and red pepper reduction over grilled catch and a bed of rice". The flavor combinations in this dish are just right. I also like the Crawfish Etouffee a lot. You must stop here if you're in the area!
Location: 714 Howell Rd. Niceville, FL 32578  (850) 678-2604

Helen Back

I spend a lot of time in the North-Western pan-handle of Florida for work, around Fort Walton Beach. One of my favorite places to go when I am craving pizza is a bar/restaurant called Helen Back. There are a few locations in Florida, but I have only been to the one in Fort Walton Beach. It is located right on the coast of Okaloosa Island and has a huge patio/deck dining area that overlooks the bay, as well as a bar area inside. The pizza at this place is really, really good. The sauce and toppings come almost out to the edge of the crust, and whatever seasoning they put on the crust is awesome. It is nice and salty with a hint of garlic, which I like. I usually get "everything on the top line" minus jalapenos. I have experimented with other toppings but it isn't the same experience. Try this pizza out of you're in the area!
Web site: http://www.helenbackcafe.com/