A year ago, Jolanta Szyfter moved her Touch of Europe Deli two blocks to a larger space on Hallandale Beach Boulevard, adding "café" to the name along with five tables.

Fans still come to the new spot, in the I-Hop Plaza near I-95, for cold cuts, cheeses, sausages, house-baked goods, imported spreads, juices, jams and teas. But now they can sit and enjoy a sandwich or a daily special of homemade soup and wiener schnitzel or Salisbury steak with warm beet relish with a full-bodied Polish Tatra beer if they wish, thanks to a new beer and wine license.

The Warsaw native came to South Florida 21 years ago when her husband was transferred for an engineering job. She had worked in the medical field in Chicago, but was encouraged to open a deli by her sister, who soon tired of shipping boxes of Polish goodies from the Windy City. There were so few Florida sources of Eastern European staples back then that customers came from as far as Orlando.

Jolantas daughter Dominica helps on weekends, and her sister, Dorota Szczepanski, mans the register and helps make pierogi. The ravioli-like, half-moon-shaped dumplings are stuffed with fillings including potato and cheese, beef, chicken, blueberry and sweet cheese. They are boiled, brushed with butter and served with sautéed onion and/or sour cream.

Each day, there are two soups, made from scratch with seasonal vegetables and kosher chicken. The bestseller is vegetable stock with woodsy dried porcini bits, slices of sautéed portobello and thin strands of pasta. Chicken noodle has fresh dill. Theres also Polish cucumber soup, made with grated pickles, horseradish, garlic and dill in a vegetable base. It tastes lemony and is not super sour. Yellow split pea is hearty with bacon and smoked ribs.

Many folks come for the kielbasa sausage topped with grilled onions or the bigos, also known as hunters stew, made from a combination of pork parts and beef with bacon, red wine, sauerkraut and mushrooms in a tomato base. There are also potato pancakes, blintzes (savory or with fruit preserves) and stuffed cabbage served with boiled potatoes and a choice of tomato or mushroom sauce.

The wholesome meals are served quickly and are reasonably priced -- an unbeatable combination these days. Smacnego! (Good eating!)