Marley's Chicago Pizza

[TheTed]

Might as well call south Tulsa the Chicago-style pizza district. Looks like we're getting a Gusano's (Arkansas-based chain) at 101st and Mingo.

http://www.gusanospizza.com/

Gusano's Pizza, 9999 S. Mingo Road, Stes. Y and Z, interior alteration, $300,000.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=32&articleid=20101114_46_E2_hComme32094

[YoungTulsan]

This thread is now about Allen Covert:

[Gaspar]

Marley's is here to stay!  Ate there tonight, and it was another excellent experience.  Place was packed!!  When we left at 6:30 there was a line out the door of people waiting to get in.  Great food!  Great atmosphere!  Great value!

. . .and Marshall's

[heironymouspasparagus]

What about 'Top That' pizza?  Is Marley's better?

Went to Pizza Shoppe, further down on Memorial a couple weeks ago.  Not too bad.  Will probably go back there, too.

And Mazzio's is advertising Ken's pizza again for a limited time to celebrate 50 years.  If it was so great, why don't they still make it???
Actually, I like Ken's better than Mazzio's - they have lost their way in so many ways.  Plan to go to Ken's in Sapulpa.  Have been to Ken's in Chandler a few times and enjoy it a great deal.  Has been a few months, so may have to go back by there again real soon.

[Gaspar]

What about 'Top That' pizza?  Is Marley's better?

And Mazzio's is advertising Ken's pizza again for a limited time to celebrate 50 years.  If it was so great, why don't they still make it???

Top That! is fast, with a ton of toppings.  Speed, quality, and convenience are the selling points.  Marley's is a sit down experience with BEER.  It's an evening event (1 hour at minimum).  It would be like comparing Subway to T.G.I. Friday's.  They target different markets.  If you want a fast, personal pizza with your choice of 100 toppings, go to Top That!  If you want to sit down with the family and have a Marshall's and a 10lb deep dish pizza, go to Marley's.  I don't see them as competing.

As for Mazzio's, they are making a big mistake.  Remember when we discussed Rex's chicken and I commented on how you cannot compete with a ghost.  Mazzios is about to spend a great deal of money resurrecting a corpse, and customers will claim that "the old Ken's was better."  I'm not sure where this insanity is coming from.  Bill, their marketing guru should know better if he is still working for them.  Old brands are always remembered as far better than they actually were.  It's part of our culture to compare the greatness of the past with the present. 

Attempts to resurrect old brands just to take advantage of the nostalgic element almost always flops.  Sounds fun, but fails to deliver a return.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Ken's is almost, but not quite a ghost.  Haven't been to the Sapulpa, but the Chandler is the continuation of the tradition.  Look/feel/taste is very close to the old Ken's at 15th and Memorial - and that one was very old - reincarnation of the original Ken's that started it all across the street at that location.

Chandler is good.  I like their style of pizza.  Which brings up the question - is it really pizza??  Well, it's Okie pizza - unlike any of the authentics from Chicago, New York, Massachusetts, etc.  

Mazzio's has really lost their way in the wilderness.  Last 4 or 5 times have been there it has been a big (BIG!) disappointment.  Not sure what has happened, but it is sad.  Will wait until late this year and try again to see if they can get their act together again.  Yeah, I know...they couldn't care less about me, but it's amazing how many friends and family are also disappointed.

Sounds like they may have hired a "Harvard MBA" to run the show.  That's always the kiss-of-death.  MBA's should be kept in their box and fed a little raw red meat about 3 times a week - and get their advice and information - but don't take it too seriously.  And never let them have any controlling influence in a company.

[BKDotCom]

Mazzio's should do as Domino's did a year ago... Admit they their pizza has gone way downhill...  and bring some quality back and pledge that you'll be impressed... to give em another try.
Because seriously... Mazzio's sucks.

PS... haven't tried domino's since they've "reinvented" themselves... so don't know how far it went beyond marketing.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Tried Domino's, post remake.  It is improved, but they still don't get that just adding sugar (corn syrup) is NOT a substitute for real flavor, like tomato, oregano, tough of bay leaf, pepper, garlic, butter, a LITTLE salt, and maybe a touch of thyme, plus your own favorite non-corn syrup Italian type flavor.

The taste IS better, but still WAY TOO sweet!  I suspect they start with a ketchup base.  Also discussed to death as base for various food items (bbq) and no excuse for 30% + corn syrup in ketchup!!  Ever.

[Red Arrow]

Heinz Ketchup:
Tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring.
Yuck!  No wonder it needs horseradish to make it palatable.

Maybe using corn based ethanol for automobile fuel will raise the price of HFC enough it won't be used as a cheap filler for everything.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Many years ago at the beginning of the "organic" foods movement - 70's I think - I remember hearing about a lawsuit where an organic producer was trying to make a real ketchup and was advertising organic ingredients and oh, by the way, no sugar!  The big foods went after them and got a ruling that to be called ketchup, the combination had to include a minimum amount of some kind of sugar.  Around 25% if memory is even close.

Yum.

[Red Arrow]

Many years ago at the beginning of the "organic" foods movement - 70's I think - I remember hearing about a lawsuit where an organic producer was trying to make a real ketchup and was advertising organic ingredients and oh, by the way, no sugar!  The big foods went after them and got a ruling that to be called ketchup, the combination had to include a minimum amount of some kind of sugar.  Around 25% if memory is even close.

No big surprise there.
Maybe the First Lady can add allowing (but not forced) reduced sugar to her campaign for better food.  I could actually support that.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Seems like she is doing something similar in broad strokes, encouraging eating better, less processed.

Believe it or not, I think that this is a place for market forces.  If someone wants to buy 35% sugar in all their foods, well, that's sad, but ok.  Full disclosure moment; I love Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper and several other sugar drinks.  But I look at every label for corn syrup.  And avoid as much as practical given previously disclosed addiction/craving/love.  Bread is good example.  Most have high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), but I look for the ones that have whole grains and sweetened with (1)raisin juice and/or (2)sugar.  You can't get it in the $1.00 per loaf shelf, either.  Sadly.

I make my own ketchup, tomato sauce (for pasta, pizza, etc), and tomato juice.  Start with the small can of tomato paste and everything tomatoey is not just possible, but incredible and very tasty.  Personal preference is either Great Value, because they put in fewer extras, or plain Contadina (no garlic or any other flavor) because it has the fewest additions.  I'm going to add all the other stuff, so sure don't need theirs.  And sugar is never on the list unless it is a little dab of brown sugar or honey or molasses.  (I do wonder where they find enough moles for a commercial product, though?  And how could it possibly taste so good?)

Ooh!  Chronicles of Riddick is on!  May have to leave soon.