POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – There are all kinds of places to eat around South Florida, but staying powerful can be tough in the restaurant business, especially for the little guys.
Betty's Soul Food is a local success story. After more than three decades of serving up savory meals, Betty's Soul is branching out -- not with a new menu, but with another location.
Its owner, Betty Taylor, has been serving up smiles and laughter for 37 years.
"Betty's been hands on all the time and she puts her personality in it," said James Hill, a customer for 35 years.
"I make my homemade biscuits myself," said Taylor.
She also serves some of the best fried chicken, stew beef, and catfish around.
"Anything she cooks is my favorite. That could be ribs -- any soul food she's good at," said Hill.
Taylor makes every dish from scratch.
"It's excellent. It's always excellent and it is always too much," said Pete Venable.
Huge portions of good food have made Taylor a staple in the Fort Lauderdale community.
"With God's grace and mercy and giving me the strength to do it, and I've been able to do it," she said.
Taylor said her greatest satisfaction is helping those customers who cannot afford to buy her soul food.
"I do everything I can to try to help people that really need. They want something to eat and don't have any money, I do what I can to help them, and that makes me feel good," said Taylor.
Construction is underway at Betty's second location in Pompano Beach. She receives calls every day from people asking her if it's open yet.
"They ask and say, 'Please, Betty, hurry up and go to Pompano. We want you in Pompano.' So I'm praying and hoping that everything is rolling when we open up," said Taylor.
Taylor expects the restaurant to open by the end of the year.