First bites: Bahia Social Club, Long Beach
August, 2011. Bahia Social Club in Long Beach serves fine croquetas de jamon (ham croquettes), just one of several tapas items on the menu. Newsday/Joan Reminick Credit: Newsday/Joan Reminick
A table on the street, a kicking watermelon jalapeño mojito and some savory small plates: Those were the ingredients of a highly social evening at the new Bahia Social Club in Long Beach.
Befitting its name, this is a friendly place — effusive host, personable waitress.
Top picks, among the plates sampled from chef Richard Reilly's repertoire: crispy-creamy little croquetas de jamon (ham croquettes), knockout fish tacos and lively grilled chorizo with a spicy-sweet tomato jam.
Well-seasoned jerk chicken skewers were oh, so dry. If only they had been made with dark meat.
Bahia Social Club is at 832 W. Beech St., Long Beach; 516-442-1338.
Above: Croquetas de jamon at Bahia Social Club
