Buffalo's Southwest Cafe Roams into South Florida

Buffalo's Southwest Cafe is coming to South Florida. On Thursday, May 20, at 11 a.m., Buffalo's Southwest Cafe will open its doors in Coral Springs, Fla., marking the company's second Restaurant in the state.

The restaurant is located at 5761 Coral Ridge Drive in the Shoppes of Heron Lakes. Regular hours of operation will be Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. For more information, 954-757-4500. Buffalo's Southwest Cafe also operates in Jacksonville, Fla.

"By being in the new Shoppes of Heron Lakes complex and near Sawgrass Expressway, we're in a definite "hot" spot of development and growth for Coral Springs," said Bob Mattis, BFCI Franchise business partner and co-owner of the restaurant. ?We think residents of Coral Springs are going to love this concept!"

Award-winning Buffalo?s Southwest Cafe restaurants offers the world-famous Buffalo-style chicken wings with a variety of flavors for every taste in addition to southwestern-inspired entrees and appetizers. The menu features a variety of specialty dishes as well as mouthwatering steaks, ribs, fajitas, chili, quesadillas, wraps, hamburgers, soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. From now until August, the restaurant is featuring the spring menu -Sundance Specials," a new promotion that includes such specialties as "Coconut Jerk Wings," "Black and Bleu Salmon," a new Southwest Cobb Salad, and delicious Southwest Egg Rolls.

Each Buffalo's Southwest Cafe restaurant tells a story of the Old Southwest while providing a unique dining experience. Restaurants feature wooden floors and distressed metal ceilings, western memorabilia and hundreds of period photographs lining rustic wooden walls. High-back cushioned booths for primary seating are each designed with their own themes such as gunslingers, outlaw posters, Indians, lawmen and railroads.

The 6,000-square-foot Coral Springs restaurant seats approximately 300 people and has a separate patio area of 1,000 square feet. The restaurant employs about 100 people. According to Mattis, the Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Southern Florida Inc. will be a charitable partner with the new restaurant.

Paul Taraboulos, a 13-year veteran of the restaurant industry, is a managing partner in the restaurant and also serves as its general manager. Taraboulos was the general manager of Applebee's in Duluth, Ga., for five years and worked at Bonefish Willy's in Coral Springs.

Mattis, a resident of Coral Springs, also is part-owner of CAM International Trade Inc., which supplies aircraft parts worldwide. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance.

"Bob and Paul are experienced business operators with the drive and vision to enhance the restaurant community of Coral Springs. We are confident they will contribute to our continued success as a concept and our growth in Florida," said Ralph Perrella, BFCI president and founder.

Based in Marietta, Ga., Buffalo's franchise Concepts was founded in 1985 and has approximately 45 restaurants in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Puerto Rico and Kuwait. The company has new units slated for construction in Arkansas, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas.