HO2007 - Dining - Business Class

With a little creative planning, it's almost hard to fail when business brings you to Houston. Here are some meeting notes worth considering when fine dining is on the menu:

The art of the deal doesn’t get any hipper. Schedule an F2F at bistro moderne near the Galleria and feel the fairy dust being sprinkled the moment you step inside. It's sleek and casual — distinctly French with a Texas twist. Reserve the Bull Room for drinks, dinner, and general wow factor. You'll have clients eating out of your hands.

Opened in early 2007, Bob's Steak & Chop House sets a relaxed mood with rich mahogany booths, a large bar, and vintage golf images on its walls. This Dallas-based chain, with restaurants in Denver and San Francisco, has been praised by Bon Apeptit and Travel + Leisure for its incredible cuisine. The top-notch service makes Bob's a comfortable place to talk business. Order up the Maryland crab cakes or the tangy blue cheese salad to help get the conversation going, then spoil clients with a USDA Prime steak and the perfect wine.

Synonymous with superb seafood, McCormick & Schmick's flies in fresh selections from around the world daily. Servers pride themselves on their knowledge of the vast menu, which is inspired by Northwest cuisine. Request one of the booths for that executive office feel. Six-foot-high dividers and closable velvet curtains give plenty of privacy for top-secret negotiations. If you want to pop some champagne and slurp oysters with the entire board, book one of classy private rooms, outfitted with a Texas theme. Opt for the patio on pleasant days to enjoy the elegant fountain and views of the Uptown Park shopping district.