Bahia Social Club, Long Beach: New chef, noteworthy food

A sidewalk table at Bahia Social Club in Long Beach is the place you want to be on a temperate summer night. But the draw here is not just the scene, which includes live music played indoors. The food — a mostly Brazilian tapas menu — is a magnet on its own.

This year, the place has a new chef — Israel Hernandez, who cooked at Viva Loco in Bellmore. Four of us exclaimed over his fish tacos ($5 each), cornmeal crusted greaseless cuts of white fish topped with spicy mayo and a lively slaw. Grilled whole calamari ($6) was tender, with a lovely smokiness that also informed the spiced roasted corn with lime juice ($5). A huge hit, crunchy croquettes of salt cod ($7) turned out to be just salty enough. Finales, made in house, included a slab of sweet, moist tres leches cake ($5) and fudgy Brazilian truffles called brigadieros ($5).

Bahia Social Club serves the kind of food that's ideal for sharing, along with a pitcher of red sangria ($18) dotted with lots of fruit and a little ice.

Bahia Social Club is at 832 W. Beech St., Long Beach, 516-442-1338