Evening Edge

Is Taqueria del Sol a contemporary Southern diner or a glorified taco stand? Customers are apt to tell you it's somewhere in between — with favorite menu items that straddle both sides of the border and illustrate the collaborative process between chef Eddie Hernandez of Monterrey, Mexico, and co-owner Mike Klank of Memphis.

Here we have adapted some of those recipes for the home kitchen, with excellent results.

Louie Favorite/AJC (ENLARGE)

Memphis tacos and greens at Taqueria del Sol on Cheshire Bridge Road, one f three locations for this innovative mini-chain of restaurants. Southern writer John T. Edge says the greens here are among the best in Atlanta. That includes Mary Mac's and Thelma's, he writes.

SOUTH MEETS SOUTHWEST John T. Edge on Taqueria del Sol Southern cooking melds with south of the border at this metro area mini-chain Horchata: New sweet tea for a multi-cultural South? More about Taqueria del Sol's three locations: West Midtown | Decatur | Cheshire Bridge RECIPES from Taqueria del Sol Food photos from Taqueria del Sol Adapted versions of Memphis Pork Tacos and Buttermilk Fried Chicken you could make at home. More recipes: Eddie's Turnip Greens | Jalapeno Coleslaw | Refried Black-Eyed Peas

Memphis Pork Tacos 12-18 servings

This pork is a two-step process. First the pork is coated with a spice mixture and baked. After cooling and chopping, it is smoked with hickory chips. You can choose your own method of smoking, if you have one, use your Big Green Egg or other smoker, or you can use hickory chips or pellets in a standard grill according to package directions. Sometimes it's hard to find a Boston butt that is less than 5 pounds, so you might need to round up. Remember, there will be fat and bone to discard, so take that weight into consideration. Taqueria del Sol serves the pork on flour tortillas topped with barbecue sauce and cole slaw. While they don't mix the pork with barbecue sauce first, you might want to moisten the meat with some sauce.

Hands on: 30 minutes | Total time: 4 hours plus several hours or overnight cooling

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon granulated onion

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons salt

1 (4 to 6 pound) Boston butt

Hickory chips for smoking

24-36 (6-inch) flour tortillas

1-2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (click for recipe)

1-2 tablespoons Jalapeño Cole Slaw (click for recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine granulated garlic, granulated onion, black pepper and salt. Rub pork with spice mixture, place in a large baking pan, cover with foil and bake for 3-4 hours, or until cooked through. Remove and cool. Chop pork to desired size (it is easier to dice when cool).

Smoke pork over hickory chips for 10 minutes. (This can be done in advance.)

When ready to serve, heat pork if necessary . Warm tortillas and add pork, sauce and cole slaw to make taco.

Per serving based on 12: 465 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), 26 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 23 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 82 milligrams cholesterol

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Green Chile-Horseradish Sauce

What could make fried chicken taste even better? How about a sauce made of cream and butter? It's flavored with just a touch of heat from chiles and horseradish.

8 servings | Hands on: 30 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes (includes marinating time)

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

Green Chile-Horseradish Sauce (click for recipe)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken (click for recipe)

Srirachi (prepared garlic chile) sauce (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the beans and cook 3 to 4 minutes, remove and cool in a bath of ice water.

Prepare the Green Chile-Horseradish Sauce and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. As chicken cooks, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan, add the green beans and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. To serve, spoon 1/4 cup Green Chile-Horseradish Sauce onto each plate. Top each plate with 1/8 of green beans and 1/8 of cutlets. Garnish each plate with srirachi sauce.

Per serving: 723 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 39 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 50 grams fat (26 grams saturated), 207 milligrams cholesterol, 445 milligrams sodium.

Per serving, green beans only: 63 calories (percent of calories from fat, 43), 2 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.