B DUBS

Buffalo Wild Wings in all its glory

          It is no secret that Flagstaff prides itself on its privately owned operations, such as bars and restaurants. While that is unproblematic, there are those select people, such as myself, who occasionally prefer the reliable nation wide franchises that will supply the goods we are accustomed to. Do people like me need to change and begin to experience a greater variety of life? Of course. The beauty of the world lies in the diverse cultures and those brave souls willing to give themselves freely to the ways of a foreign lifestyle. But in the meantime, the rest of us need those places willing to cater to our life choices, willing to serve us good ol’ American food while we gather and watch our favorite team year in and year out, even though they continuously disappoint us. Whether we are basking in glory, crumbling in defeat, or having a good time socializing with our peers, hot wings are a prime dish to consume. You have seen the commercials and probably have done it once in your life, (If not I highly recommend it) and a mighty fine location to receive delicious hot wings can be found minutes away from the campus of NAU at Buffalo Wild Wings.

WHAT THEY OFFER

Honey BBQ wings.
Cooked to perfection

            Everyone knows that a chicken wing just isn’t the same without a delicious yet mildly spicy sauce coating around it. Holding a total of 14 select sauces and having the courtesy to rate them on a hotness scale, Buffalo Wild Wings provides their customers with the power to choose their journey. It is impossible to rate the actual level of hotness each sauce provides since every person has his or her own tolerance. However out of 14 choices you are bound to find one that suits you best. I personally am a fan of the honey bbq. It’s on the mild side of the spectrum but I find that I’m more of a flavor guy anyways. Or a sissy. I can’t really tell. I’ll just say flavor to save face.

            Ultimately, Buffalo Wild Wings is a sports bar. Eating wings while watching a big game is almost ceremonial for plenty of Americans, and not too many do it better than B Dubs. Waiters are polite and approach you when need help, but also know to stay away when a pivotal moment is occurring during your game of interest. There are plenty of televisions broadcasting different events, although priority unsurprisingly belongs to UFC, Football, Basketball, and Baseball. So I am truly sorry to you die hard soccer fans, but while European pubs become packed for the current Soccer match, not in America.

BLAZIN CHALLENGE

            For those of you who pride yourselves on being able to handle any range of spiciness, Buffalo Wild Wings provides you with the coveted “Blazin Challenge,” which involves one taking on the task of finishing 12 wings coated with Buffalo Wild Wings hottest sauce, simply named “Blazin.” A brief interview with a manager at Buffalo Wild Wings has netted me the follwing information: no ranch or other dipping sauce is allowed, no drinks are allowed during time of contest, an average of 2 daring souls partake of the challenge a week, survivors receive a stylish t-shirt and are immortalized upon a wall of fame. There was no word of the success rate, but for the sake of the legend we will just say that more people than not fail.

All 14 of the coveted sauces in order of their spiciness.
Beware of the one on the far right

            I was personally challenged by my fellow university students to partake in the challenge, however am sad to say I chickened out. Lets be real, this is the same guy who actually shed tears the first time he came in contact with vintage New Mexican green chile, (Native New Mexicans always remind me that it is by far the milder of the two. Because of this I am deathly afraid of New Mexican red chile.) Maybe after I spend a little time working up a tolerance to spice will I be able to muster up the courage. As for those manlier than I, just beyond the doors of Buffalo Wild Wings lies immortality. Glory. All you must do is reach out and receive it. And finish 12 painfully hot wings in 6 minutes. Not too bad, right?

ANY DEALS?

The first view upon entering Flagstaff's Buffalo WIld Wings

            In a town where the larger consumer crowds are college students, how would I dare suggest a location that has no deals? Buffalo Wild Wings has two great money saving deals that occur every Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday is known as traditional wing day, when they sale each wing for 45 cents. Let’s say a satisfying portion for the average person is 12 wings. On Tuesdays, one could by 12 wings for about $5.50 and save around $3-$4. Or maybe boneless is more of your liking. If so, Thursday is your day as you may receive a wing for about 60 cents and going back to the 12 wing model can save around $2-$3. Either way, its quite the deal for a delicious dish.

            Buffalo Wild Wings offers other food items, but we all know it is all about the wings. A rough estimate by the aforementioned manager suggests that on average 70% of sales belong to wings, 30% everything else. The plasma televisions and giant projection screens which always have some sport event showing give it a nice sports bar touch, while jerseys hanging up from past NAU sport greats highlights the company’s determination to display their desire to be involved with the community. Even if you are not crazy about the whole sports bar scene, they offer food to go. No one can resist a wing dipped in a sauce of their own liking in the comfort of their own home. No one. A quote by Ludwig Feuerbach "Man is what he eats." So what are you? Are you honey bbq like myself, preferring a sauce a touch hotter than mild sauce reflecting a cautious yet occasionally spicy life? Are you an expert and prefer to live on the dangerous side with the Mango Habeneros and the Buffalo sauces? Are you a master who will not consume anything but the Blazin sauce? Whats your flavor?

For more information, visit the Buffalo Wild Wings site at

http://www.buffalowildwings.com/