Houston’s dining scene is growing as quickly as you can say Iron Chef. Delegates who meet here should count on an eclectic dining experience that celebrates the cuisine of their choice. And for planners who would like to execute an off-site banquet while meeting in town, many restaurants offer private dining areas and buy-out options.
The 97-room Alden Houston (832.200.8800; www.aldenhotels.com), a boutique luxury property located downtown, accommodates private events on its veranda, a unique indoor-outdoor terrace. The hotel’s on-site, nationally acclaimed restaurant, 17, provides innovative American cuisine for this private dining space. The 2,400-square-foot veranda, with views of the courthouse district, seats up to 180 guests in a banquet setting. Additionally, a custom-built tent gives guests the illusion of dining under the stars, and when the weather is fair, the walls on one side of the tent are removed to provide an outdoor experience in a climate-controlled space.
Strip House Houston (713.659.6000; www.theglaziergroup.com/restaurants/striphouse_houston) is also conveniently located downtown. Its main dining room seats up to 140 people, its bar accommodates 40 people, and its private dining rooms accommodate corporate meal functions and meetings. There are two private dining rooms, one that seats 20 guests and one that seats 30, as well as a private party room with seating for up to 100 people. Each of the three private rooms has a plasma TV, while the larger room has a six-foot LCD/DVD projection screen. The restaurant, a contemporary innovative steakhouse, specializes in dishes including double-cut strip steak, veal T-bone and filet mignon, as well as side dishes such as truffled creamed spinach and goose potatoes.
Terrific for medical meetings and luncheons, as it’s situated atop the John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons Building in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, Trevisio (713.749.0400; www.trevisiorestaurant.com) specializes in modern Italian cuisine. Complete with two 64-foot exterior waterfalls, the venue’s crescent moon–shaped floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows accentuate the panoramic views of the Texas Medical Center, which can be seen from each table day or night. Private meeting and dining rooms can accommodate groups of six to 250 guests for sit-down functions and groups of up to 600 people for receptions. Trevisio’s conference facilities boast advanced audiovisual equipment, including 42-inch plasma screens, satellite receivers, DVD and VHS players, laptop computers, LCD projectors, and high-speed Internet access.
