Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- A few sips of Vega Sicilia Cosecha will set you back $83 at Clo in Manhattan. Can't wait for the wine steward? Pour it yourself.

Self-service isn't a trademark of the Time Warner Center's fourth floor. That's where Thomas Keller's Per Se charges $275 per person for the pleasures of a nine-course meal and one of the world's best wait staffs. Oh, and then there's Masa, where dinner starts at about $400. The chef personally hands you each piece of sushi.

Similar flattery is available at Clo, which sits in between the two Michelin-starred behemoths. The rectangle of a room overlooks Central Park. It's the new date spot for those who refuse to drop thousands at Clo's neighbors. Pours are as cheap as $3.

Up to three sommeliers roam the floor at any given time. They coddle. They suggest. They can bring you drinks.

I prefer the machines.

Ask for a wine card. Insert it into the automat-style system. Select your potable and push the release button. Squirt! Out comes 2 ounces. The small portions let you sniff and sample without getting too sloshed. You drain your wallet in the process. We spent $82 on 16 ounces.

Sit down and play with the iPhone-style touch-screen menu. Glide your fingers above the counter to search for wines. If you need an excuse to make a move on your date, this is it. (``Give me your hand and let me show you how to use the wine bar.'')

Rich finger foods open up the tighter wines. I tried an excellent Scottish cheddar and perfectly smoky speck. Oh, don't forget about another fun activity: comparing tasting notes.

Snob-Speak

Computerized menu says: Coulee de Serrant chenin blanc exhibits ``stone fruits'' and ``volcanic minerality.'' I say: ``The juice tastes like green grass, with a hint of lawnmower, maybe a John Deere 2006.'' Vocabulary notwithstanding, it was a stunning wine. Buy a full bottle (or any other selection) at the retail store opening in September.

Return your card to a staffer and pay the bill. There's room for a ``tip'' on your receipt. Don't leave more than a few dollars on the wine portion if you did the heavy lifting yourself. After all, you can be your own waiter here.

Clo is at Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle. Information: +1-212-823-9898; http://www.clowines.com.

Street Fare

Most new restaurants charge $12 to $15 for cocktails. Macondo on the Lower East Side charges $7.50, which is appropriate since they're half as good as they should be.

Advice: Order beer and devour the praiseworthy Latin street fare. It's by the people who brought us Rayuela (just a block away).

Junior Merino is responsible for the drinks. I'm told he's a ``master mixologist.'' Whatever happened to ``bartender''?

Observe his style: Take good ingredients with strong flavors and dumb them down. His creations are enjoyable enough, without any particular distinctiveness. They are the hip versions of an apple martini.

There's a frozen rose and sherry cocktail (watery), an avocado and mescal mixture (none of the liquor's signature smokiness), pisco with peach (like sugar water), banana and cachaca (too sweet) or guava and whiskey (can't taste the whiskey).

Sit on one of four outdoor pedestals looking into the sleek, dark, sexy space. Inhale secondhand smoke from the street while you eat funky, juicy lamb tacos. They're made with soft corn tortillas -- no bland flour versions here. Skip the dry pork tacos; better versions are available nearby at La Esquina.

Carne-vore

Ever try mofongo? Crispy pork flanks little plantain balls. A sweet-corn tamale cleanses your palate after bites of gently gamy blood sausage. Wet, dense arepas (corn cakes) could be my new favorite foil for quail. Scoop up heady chorizo and chili sauce with fried bananas. Ceviche? Sure. Mango and bacon soften the brine on Blue Point oysters.

Eat meat. Skirt steak sits atop stinky Cabrales cheese and crackly flat bread. Tender short ribs and Manchego form the basis of a giant, crunchy, cheesy, beefy sandwich. Try and finish it alone. I dare you.

Macondo is at 157 E. Houston St., near Allen Street. Information: +1-212-473-9900; http://www.macondonyc.com.

(Ryan Sutton writes about New York City restaurants for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this review: Ryan Sutton in New York at rsutton1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 2, 2008 00:01 EDT