Jose Almonte looks as if he had all the time in the world. He is relaxing in one of the plush armchairs of the lounge area outside the dining room of the Copacabana Supper Club in New York City, where he is general manager, his long legs stretched out in front of him.

Come to think of it, he should look comfy. After all, he is largely responsible for the lounge, oversaw the furnishings, and envisioned its function as meeting point for late night revelers to break between dinner in the adjacent restaurant and dancing to in the discotheque above. It is an environment Almonte designated for them to relax, refuel, and size up the rest of the crowd.

Almonte presides over one of the most successful nightclub franchises to ever emerge in one city. He may also be the secret to the club’s ongoing success. Surprisingly, he started his career not in nightclubs, but as a professional dancer. Trained at Juilliard, he got an early start in understanding the importance of subtle perfectionism. Not that you’ll ever hear him say so. While he his not one to brag about past triumph, he will admit that his passion for dining, and New York City nightlife,are a big plus.

But an intuitive inkling for perfectionism seems to bewhat makes his nightclub career so notable. He explains to me how the lounge area, with its sweeping ‘runway,’ makes it easy for club patrons to mingle. (It also looks like a great location tocatwalk a hot dress.)

In fact, nightclubs are a tricky business, especially in a large city with many choices. Maintaining the trajectory of success – even if a club is currently doing well – is not easy. But Almonte has helped the Copa do just that. The years that he spent at the helm of this famous spot have been steadily and reliably profitable, completely defying any economic downturn.

Part of his secret is tapping into the audience. After all, the Copa was built on the allure of Latin America, and Almonte’s instinct has been to play that up.  The dinner menu at the supper club riffs on Latin America to the hilt. Every dish hails from a different Spanish-speaking nation—Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, even the Dominican Republic. There are also offerings native to Spain and Cuba.

Under Almonte’s direction, the cocktail menu has taken the same pan Latin route, with choices like the Caipirinha from Brazil,TresLechesof Nicaragua, and the Argentine Clericot. Even the wine list has a heavy Spanish accent. And why not? Latin America is the fourth largest wine producer in the world. In homage, the Copa pours a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, a Torrontes from Argentina, and Tannat from Uruguay, among others.

Actually, Almonte is a veteran of the fine dining scene. Years of service as a former manager and beverage director at restaurants like Le Bernardin, Gilt, the Waldorf Astoria, Django and Hudson River Club, have made him well versed in the tastes of sophisticated customers, and well qualified to fine tune the choices that keep them coming back for more.

Capitalizing on the abundance of great live music in New York City is another way Almonte has kept this club on the hot list. Booking first-class live bands is standard operating procedure. Salsa, merengue, mambo, rumba, you’ll hear it all here. Oneadvantage to a Latin theme is entrée to some of the world’s most popular music, and bandleaders with a regular gig include Eddie Palmieri, Oscar d’Leon, Willy Colon and the Copacabana all-stars with Richie Gonzalez.

Still, is that enough to explain the Copa’s robust health? Almonte may be harboring a few more secrets. If he is, we’ll get it out of him. Stay tuned.

The Copacabana. 268 W. 47^th Street, 7^th and 8^th Avenues. 212.239.2672, www.copacabanany.com.
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Dinner from 6 pm; dancing from 9 or 10 to 4 am.

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