Creative Loafing’s Omnivore reported this story a couple days back, but props go to self-proclaimed Tortillas-junkie Suzanne for pointing it out to me.

Part-time Morehouse professor Matt Hinton missed Tortillas burritos so much when they closed in 2003, that he’s recreated them and many of their other items from scratch.  And now he’s selling his Tortillas “cover band” creations to the public under the name West End Burritos!

If you ever went to Tortillas on Ponce before they closed, you know that they had the best burritos in Atlanta. Well, I have finally, after much trial and error, come VERY close (95%) to an exact replica of some of their most popular items, including both the red and green sauces. I will begin offering Tortillas style burritos and other sundries (see attached menu) next week which I will deliver to you!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: Each Monday [Update: Tuesdays to be added soon], I will make a delivery run from Downtown Decatur to West End. If you live within 2 miles or so of this route, you are eligible for delivery. I will deliver to your door or leave it on your stoop. Deliveries will occur from approx. 4-6:30, so every Monday can be Burrito night.

Hinton’s delivery zone extends from West End to Decatur (a map is shown on his order page).  The full West End Burritos menu can be found HERE, while you can read more about the venture on the West End Burritos Facebook page.

Carlo Petrini is such a great public speaker that he easily overcomes the need to have a translator on stage with him. If you haven’t encountered Petrini before, the clip above will give you an idea of   what I mean.

The Italian founder of the Slow Food movement – who is also scheduled to give the keynote at this year’s Georgia Organics Conference the previous evening – will be part of a faculty panel and discussion session at Emory on Monday, February 22nd entitled “Food, Family and the Family Meal.”  Other featured speakers include the CDC’s Joel Kimmons and Emory Psychology Professor Marshall Duke.

The event is open to the public and will take place from 4pm-6pm at 1531 Dickey Drive on the Emory Campus.  Petrini will be on hand to sign books post-discussion.

h/t: Clairmont Heights

In a post on the beautifully formatted Atlanta Magazine site, the Covered Dish blog ladles out some potentially delicious news.

In the next 18 months, MetroFresh owner Mitchell Anderson plans to open three new sandwich locations, called “MitchWich”, around the ATL.  The concept?

MitchWich will feature a 1,000-1,500 square-foot floor plan with a “warmer and woodsier feel” than MetroFresh but with a slightly different design for each location. Anderson has worked with a brand development firm over several months to develop the concept that will continue his food philosophy without duplicating the style of Metro Fresh. It will serve a breakfast and lunch menu focusing on sandwiches made with quality, organic ingredients, along with some soups and salads crafted by Anderson and his executive chef, Byran Kraatz.

And amongst the contenders…

Initially, Anderson is looking at neighborhoods such as the Fairlie Poplar district, Westside and Decatur because of their proximity to MetroFresh.

h/t: Oakhurst Gossip (via Twitter)

Neighbors helping neighbors.  Lisa writes in…

Just wanted to let you know that the James Joyce Pub is hosting a benefit for the Our Way Cafe Recovery Fund on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. 20% of the proceeds from all sales between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and close that Tuesday will benefit the fund.

UPDATE: FM Fats reports that he spoke with Depeaux owner Bill Sharkey today and was told that the Depeaux isn’t entirely closed and is still open on weekends.

It opened to renovation controversy (after a $250,000 move funded by the DPA) and high Cajun-food-hopes.  It closed quitely and without notice.

Until now.

A few days after a major refreshening of its “Business For Sale” page with the Shumacher Group, Carl reports that it looks like the Depeaux (in the old Decatur depot) has finally closed its doors for good.

No hours posted, mail slot sealed shut…no sign of life. BBQ joint moving in?

Photo courtesy of the Shumacher Group

That’s what the sign on the door to the barely year-old cafe in the 340 West Ponce building says, along with an” Available” sign from Shumacher Group.

If the first isn’t an ominous sign, the second certainly is!

Carl headed over there after a Twitter tipster gave us the heads-up and snapped this pic.

Lots of restaurant news in the past few days.  Quizno’s closes.  Locally-owned Sammiches n Stuff opens below Eddie’s Attic in the old Jake’s/Little Shop space!

Daren sent in the above pic of happy staff members.

It must be January.  The closings continue.

Dave wrote in late this afternoon…

Quizno’s has up and gone. There is a sign on the door thanking their customers and explaining that their rent was increased. It appears that all the kitchen equipment has been removed.

As the DNO noted on Facebook, the city commission is scheduled to approve a liquor license for Chingchai Choomaug “Garlic Thai Cuisine & Sushi Bar” at 340 West Ponce de Leon Avenue at Monday’s city commission meeting.

Word on the street has been that the Harry & Sons folks were looking at this space.  Since this is also Thai food, I’m going to assume this is them.

Decatur’s latest business trend seems to be Thai food and heathcare.

Update II: More on the name “Marlay” HERE.  (Thanks CB!) Pretty great suggestion by the three parties that submitted it!

Update: The mayor just unveiled the name. CBS news also in the house.  See pic below.

The Grange is making the best of a bad situation and turning its forced renaming into an event. Mayor Floyd will announce the new name tonight at the “Rename the Grange” party at 8:30p.

You can’t see it from my crappy photo, but the foot of the first letter is sticking out of the left side of the brown paper. Looks to me like an “A”.