WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her designated successor Hillary Clinton discussed the challenges of US foreign policy over an intimate dinner, Rice's spokesman said Tuesday.

The pair shared a two-hour dinner Monday evening at Rice's Watergate apartment in Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

McCormack declined to reveal details of the discussion but said the pair dined on sea bass, wild rice, mushroom soup and fruit.

"They talked just very generally about policy, the challenges, the opportunities, talked a little bit about the job of secretary of state," McCormack said.

"That's sort of a general description of it," he added.

McCormack said no follow-up meetings between the two had been scheduled for now but that the two would meet again, adding "they have a good, easy relationship."

On Monday, Clinton also visited the State Department building for the first time since Obama named her as his choice for secretary of state.

"Hillary visited the transition offices and had some briefings," a State Department official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.

Rice, who leaves her post when President George W. Bush steps down on January 20, predicted Sunday that Clinton, who still has to be confirmed by the Senate, will "do a great job" as her successor.

The State Department has designated 24 staff members to work full time with the Obama team and Rice has pledged to ensure a "smooth transition" of power to Obama as her State Department set aside space and documents for his team.