Pappas Bros. Steakhouse

After a soul-sucking, mind-numbing day generating spreadsheets in corporate land, I was once again stuck in traffic. Between the dickwad cutting me off and my new Elvis Costello CD stuck in my player, I was building up to a spectacular bit of road rage. Not wanting to harm my fellow drones, I did my best Fast and Furious moves and aborted my mission home. I sped into the Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (5839 Westheimer, 713-780-7352) parking lot, took a deep breath, reapplied my Revlon red and entered this swanky oasis. Sashaying into the cocktail lounge through a slew of type As, I was greeted by Eduardo and his million-­dollar smile. This scene demanded a martini; I opted for a raspberry version and was blown away as this master bartender painstakingly crafted the perfect drink — he crushed the raspberries in front of me! Sipping and eavesdropping on power brokers spewing corporate buzzwords amused me for a while, but I needed a strategic plan. Thinking outside the box, I envisioned slipping résumés to a few Armani-suited boys lounging nearby, but that would have been pushing it a bit. Instead, I touched base with my peers, left Pappas and went on to mergers of another sort.

1 1/2 ounces Stolichnaya vodka

1/4 ounce Grey Goose vodka

2 ounces of cranberry juice

Juice of two lime wedges

2 raspberries (crushed)

1/4 ounce of simple syrup

Strawberry

Put all ingredients in a shaker. Gently pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry.