Sample Three Cuisines in One Gorgeous New Georgetown Restaurant

River Club rejuvenates Georgetown waterfront’s dining scene this summer with tableside spirit service, decadent decor from Beirut, and a meze-styled menu encapsulating the far-reaching flavors of Lebanon, Italy, and Spain (3000 K Street NW).

River Club’s co-founders Farid Azouri and David Nammour already know what they’re doing. They have ownership ties to Residents Cafe and Bar, Dupont’s established Mediterranean hot spot with Michelin Bib Gourmand credentials and one of the best espresso martinis in the city.

For the duo’s latest Northwest D.C. venture, small plates, grilled skewers, and family-style mains find a home at the iconic roundabout into Georgetown Harbor. “We decided we wanted to do a meze restaurant — me and Farid are Lebanese and familiar with Italian and Mediterranean cuisine,” says Nammour.

Terracotta-toned walls, palm-printed plush seating, glassy light sconces, and vegetative wallpaper set the scene for a transportive meal courtesy of executive chef Nate Berry. The alum Michelin-starred Plume inside the Jefferson hotel also runs the kitchen at Residents.

Scott Suchman

Moss-green suede menus open up to dishes and drinks distinct to each country. Instead of presenting a mashup of all three on one plate or in a glass, River Club reserves sections for each.

“We’re trying to stay authentic — these aren’t fusion dishes of the three cuisines. Each comes from the specific region,” says Berry. “We sat down and cooked a whole lot of food, then narrowed that down to the best of the Mediterranean.”

Final cuts include gambas al ajillo and pan con tomate, wagyu beef carpaccio, croquetas, skewered beef tenderloin, fish loin, or lamb belly, and lobster paella. Berry says his “for the table” section his personal favorite; two- to four-tops can pick from a rack of “fall-off-the-bone” smoked lamb ribs with whipped hummus and labneh; branzino prepared the pan-seared Spanish way; or whole roasted Green Circle chicken like the one nonna used to make, served with confit potatoes and asparagus.

Scott Suchman

The 3,400-square-foot space is utterly unrecognizable from its former life as dumpling standby Bangkok Joe’s. Nearly every design detail was sourced 6,000 miles away in Beirut, which in turn helped support the Lebanese capital’s manufacturing and artisan economy. A curious toucan comprised of lacquered wicker peeks into a soaring dining room, where a retro-styled stained glass ceiling joins a shimmering tiled floor made of mother of pearl. Upon entry, luxe lampshades lined with tassels hover over a bar that used to be located in the back.

“With Residents being very cocktail-centric, we wanted to showcase the bar as soon as you walk in,” says Azouri. The 140-seat space also includes a 34-seat terrace dotted with pretty pink umbrellas. To start, River Club swings open at 4 p.m. until late (midnight on weekends) and brunch will join the mix soon.

Scott Suchman

Scott Suchman

Drinks also follow the food’s lead, and each country is honored with two cocktails apiece. Arak, the popular anise-flavored Middle Eastern spirit, joins blueberry-infused cognac, blueberry, lemon, and salted sage crisp; a seasonal negroni speaks to Italy; and a gin-and-tonic shows love for Spain. Director of operations and Farmers Restaurant Group alum Jon Arroyo oversees the bar.

Scott Suchman

River Club’s pink beverage book highlights three separate spirits for tableside service: arak (Lebanon), amaro (Italy), and vermouth (Spain). River Club’s namesake martini also gets the tableside treatment, assembled with Vusa vodka, capano bianco, fino sherry, lemon zest, olives, and pickled fennel components. River Club pays homage to the 1990s nightclub of the same name that Nammour’s dad ran a few blocks away.

Scott Suchman

Scott Suchman

“The space itself was beautiful — it felt like we were in a different realm of old-school Georgetown,” says Arroyo. “We really wanted to focus on service for this space and everything that encapsulates it.”

A soundproofed redesign includes a high-tech sound system dedicated to funk, soul, and groovy playlists (think everything from Stevie Wonder to Arabic music). There’s no house mixes, however; that’s Residents’ territory. And whereas Residents’ crowd-pleasing espresso martinis are made with ghee, River Club opens with its own promising pick-me-up that leans Italian via affogato gelato and rich pistachio oil.