Best business restaurant: Canvas Bar & Grill at the Hilton Morumbi, Sao Paulo

Latin Trade, Feb, 2004

The chef at this restaurant approaches an empty plate as an artist does a blank canvas--a medium waiting to be filled with an inspired creation. Sitting among canvases of art, hung like a Soho loft, diners enjoy contemporary cuisine including pastas and risottos and grilled meats and fish. A meal at Canvas Bar & Grill is a lull-sensory experience: something to be scrutinized, savored, tested for texture, touched, even listened to, say its regulars. [55] (11) 6845-0055/00130.

Best Business Restaurant Runner-up: La Hacienda de los Morales, Mexico City

Hacienda de los Morales, established in Mexico in the 16th century, has become the place to dine, and its kitchen offers an exceptional mix of international cuisine and traditional Mexican dishes. During colonial times, the hacienda was one of the most important estates in the area and produced silk, thanks to its colony of silkworms. In the centuries that have followed, the buildings at Hacienda de los Morales have evolved but still retain the flavor of their original architecture. (Jackets and ties required.) Vazquez de Mella 525, Colonia del Bosque. [52] (55) 5096-3054/3055. www.haciendadelosmorales.com