The new Café at Books & Books brings to mind South Beach in the old days. Maybe it's the chef, Bernie Matz, who is back in the neighborhood where he opened the quirky Wet Paint Café in the mid 1980s and gave chef Douglas Rodriguez his start.

Matz has created a cutting-edge yet comforting menu for Mitchell Kaplan's beloved little bookshop: burgers and fries, quesadillas, wraps, salads, hummus and pita as well as tropical-tinged dishes like guava-glazed pork tenderloin and shrimp in coconut milk. There truly is something for everyone here including vegetarians, kids and dogs -- even vegetarian dogs (the canine menu features nonmeat dog biscuits).

In addition to the standard coffee-bar offerings that have been in place for years, there is a solid little wine list with 20 or so whites and reds, a few sparkling bottles and a dozen mostly imported beers that go great with the spicy dishes. Nonalcoholic choices include a not-too-sweet lemonade.

Even more than the food or drinks, it is the truly local vibe that makes me nostalgic for the South Beach I fell in love with years ago. On my various visits, I noticed the same pair of buddies hunkering down for a game of Go! and the same lovely waitress grabbing a few fries from a regular's plate. You can count on finding bikers, kids and dogs enjoying the outdoor tables and solo readers getting cozy with a good book and a plate inside.

Light bites including an exemplary curry chicken salad and a mango-butter turkey sandwich with fresh, peppery arugula are available throughout the day. The fresh-roasted chicken on multigrain bread with lots of greens and tomatoes is also fantastic.

After 5 o'clock, a chalkboard of daily specials comes out. Starters such as the grilled calamari with slender coins of chorizo sprinkled with lots of fresh parsley and the cool tomato and cucumber gazpacho are just right for sultry weather.

A juicy flank steak is marinated in espresso and brown sugar, seared, sliced and served with a piquant pineapple and onion salsa and a pair of lovely plantain nests smothered in garlicky mojo. Seared, coconut-crusted tuna is served with a tangle of mango slaw.

Even a standard burger takes on a delightfully fresh attitude with a full salad, pickles and circles of crisp red onion. The golden fries are irresistible with their skin still on and just enough salt.

The greens for the many salads -- including the house version with a divine Dijon mustard vinaigrette -- are refreshed just before serving and perfectly dressed. Such attention to detail leaves me wondering why the kitchen settles for wishy-washy tomatoes and out-of-season mangoes, but they can be forgiven when the rest of the components are so good.

A meal here is like eating in the kitchen of a good home cook. Nothing is too fancy or exotic, but everything seems honest and full of flavor. That's the idea, according to Matz's self-published cookbook, Bernie's Kitchen: New South Florida Cuisine. ''Cooking South Florida style means being fresh, sophisticated, fruity, stylish and healthy,'' he writes.

When it comes to dessert, health is not a factor, but flavor sure is. Though the luscious tropical sweets change often, hope for the guava tart made with overripe plantains, cream cheese and a sweet guava sauce reminiscent of a pastelito de guayaba.

Bravo to Kaplan for having the chutzpah to open a café on restaurant-saturated Lincoln Road -- as if running an independent bookstore isn't challenging enough. The Café at Books & Books proves once again that there's always a market for quality.