The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Ate there last night for my wife's birthday.  Group of 8, 4 of them were kids.  The place was packed.

Got two of the deep dish Chicago Style, and one small regular pizza. One was the Meathead and the other was the Hawaiian (or something with pineapple), the standard pizza was a custom my wife had them make.  The deep dish pizza was freekin awesome!  Just like I remember having at one of the joints in Chicago.  The sauce was very sweet and on top of the pies it caramelized and literally stuck to your teeth.  A++.  I could only tackle three pieces (this coming from a guy that can eat an entire large pizza in one sitting).

The standard pizza was ok.  Not nearly as good as NYC or Hideaway.  I would never order it again.

The appetizer we got was the fried mushrooms.  It was horrible.  They need to fix that.

They have Marshall's IPA and some other beers, but they are not on the menu.

They warn you that a Chicago pizza takes over 30 minutes to cook, and that's correct.  It took 45 minutes to get our food.  Total meal time was about 2 hours.  That was kinda rough on the kids, so I recommended this place as an adult dinner joint.  Probably not a viable lunch choice either unless you have unlimited time.  About half the restaurant is dedicated to the bar area.  Many large LCD TVs.  Looks like a good sports viewing venue.  I've seen several local attempts at Chicago deep dish, but this is the first good one.

We will be back!

Location?

71st and Sheridan in the old Flavor's location.

Good to know, wonder why they aren't on the menu?  Every restaurant that serves beer in Tulsa should have Marshall's, IMO. 

I work right by there so I'll be trying this place soon.

Is the crust Giordano dough-style or Gino's East cornmealish-style?

Giordano style?
(http://www.thelostogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/jerrygiordano.jpg)

He still on Local ABC?  (this is so far from pizza topic, it's practically unbelievable...practically)

nope, he's a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker . . .

Really?  I remember seeing him on KTUL fairly recently.  That must be a fairly new development if he no longer works for them.

I wonder if they had diapers on him at that point or if he was free bird.

He's no longer on their website and I've seen him advertising himself as a realtor

So what?  Do you have to drive HIM around while you look at houses?

"Uh. . .We'll take your car, mine's in the shop"

Only if he provides the Visqueen for the seat.

Wow!  His drunk hit and run cost him a whole $6000 BOND  (bong??).  He probably got that back when he showed up for court.

Didn't he work at KRMG for some time??

Well, if it comes down to it,I'll take the Gino's East!
Poor ol'Jerry...forgot about him!

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/

This thread is now about Allen Covert:

(http://www.popentertainment.com/AllenCovert3.jpg)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.