Clo Wine Bar
I recently discovered a new and interesting wine bar on the fourth floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle. Clo serves a plethora of different kinds of wines as well as a small assortment of finger foods. It is unlike any other wine bar I have ever been to for two main reasons.
The first thing that makes the bar unique is its menu, and I don’t mean its choice of wine, although that is quite extensive. It’s physical menu is what caught my attention initially. The wine options are displayed via a computer screen onto the long bar that overlooks Columbus Circle. You can use your finger to scan or search the list of wines, as well as to narrow down your options to a particular genre, like only red wines from Spain. You do this all on the long bar that normally just holds drinks. This high-tech menu is a ton of fun and worth visiting the spot just to see it. Of course, if you don’t like technology with your wine, there is a paper menu to read as well.
The second interesting thing is how the wine is served. There are servers who bring you glasses, but otherwise, the wine is all self-serve. When you enter you leave a credit card at the desk and they give you a “clo card” for each person in the party. Each person uses the card to get individual glasses of wine from around the bar. The prices are clearly marked and vary greatly. You can get a glass for $8 or $25 and any price in between. You are able to see the bottles through the glass and read labels if you wish. Picture a very, large, elegant vending machine filled with wine and that is what surrounds Clo. This is especially good for groups because each person can pay for his card separately at the end.
To top it off, the bar looks out on Columbus Circle. With a great view and unlimited wine accompanying its technological menu, Clo should impress out-of-town guests as well as jaded New Yorkers.
