Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • 79

NIGHTLIFE ZAP SQUAD floridatoday.com WEB EXTRA. See more photos from World Beat at floridatodaye.com BY AUTUMN PHELPS FLORIDA TODAY What: The World Beat a tapas-inspired restaurant and bar in Melbourne Where: 3700 N. Wickham Road, 751-6304, www.theworldbeatcafe.com Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.

to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday with brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Entertainment: The Nathan Herrera Trio, a group of flamenco guitarists, performs every other Friday night. Their next gig is scheduled for Aug. 17. On Fridays opposite The Nathan Herrera Trio, band Don Soledad and Word Element performs. Every other Saturday night, Jerry Zee and Company performs.

Jerry Zee is scheduled for this Saturday. Every month, The World Beat hosts a Food, Music and Wine festival at the restaurant. The cost is fairly steep at $60 per person, but includes lots of gourmet food, fine wine and entertainment. There also is a door prize World Beat great for dates Bob and Willie Battle Brenda Veale and Alice Davis Mandy and Josh Miller David Gaudio and Mindy Smith Jack and Kimberly Pietro FLORIDA TODAY, Friday, August Photos by Christina Stuart, FLORIDA TODAY Church outing. Pineda Presbyterian Church members grab a bite at World Beat in Melbourne.

giveaway. Plus, $10 of each $60 goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and an auction also is held to benefit the organization. This month's festival is from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 20.

The theme is "An Evening Out in Cover charge: None, except for the Food, Music and Wine festivals. Food and drink: The World Beat menu is plentiful, and unlike many menus you'll find in Brevard County. That's because the restaurant serves mostly tapas, or Spanish appetizers. The idea is that each person at the table orders a different tapas dish and shares. You don't have to do that, of course, but it's the only way to get a good sampling of what the World Beat has to offer.

Choose from Crispy and Savory 1 Three's company. Customers Bonnie Knapp, left, Chad Julien and smile for the Zap Squad. Jennifer Hardy 10, 2007 tapas (such as avocado egg rolls and tempura fried shrimp), Bones, Sticks and Fire (such as Hot Orange Chicken Wings and Asian Beef Skewers), and Share the Love (plates for sharing, such as Bruschetta and Edamame). The World Beat also serves two hot soups (Cuban Black Bean and Yaya's Curry Chicken), a variety of salads, paninis, burgers, flatbread pizzas and full dinner entrees. A kids' menu is available, as well as a tempting dessert menu.

For drinks, The World Beat offers full liquor bar and a large wine selection. Happy hour is all day every day with $2 Sangria, $3 for all cocktails and $4 mojitos. The crowd: We saw all kinds of people, from families, to one of MTV's "Engaged and Underage" couples, Josh and Mandy Miller. The World Beat is more of a restaurant than a nightlife spot, so everyone's pretty relaxed and limits conversation to their own party. The atmosphere: Inside, there's the main dining area with several booths, a small bar and an area where bands perform.

It's very dark inside, but in a romantic sort of way. This would be a great place to bring a date. The World Beat also has an outdoor patio with tables. The restaurant can host up to 200 people. Dress: Casual, but you won't feel overdressed in a buttondown shirt or nice dress.

Parking: You might have to park behind the restaurant, but there are plenty of spaces. Other stuff: The World Beat offers full-service catering and rents out the patio for corporate and private parties. Call 751-6304 for more information. DEN They got the beat. Cindy Kong, Duongvannak Keo and Sal Sarun share a table at the World Beat TGIF Page 17.