Sample three cuisines at a beautiful new restaurant in Georgetown

The River Club is revitalizing the Georgetown waterfront dining scene this summer with tableside liquor service, decadent Beirut decor, and a meze menu that combines the wide-ranging flavors of Lebanon, Italy, and Spain (3000 K Street NW).

River Club co-founders Farid Azouri and David Nammour already know what they’re doing. They own Residents Cafe and Bar, Dupont’s established Mediterranean hotspot with a Michelin Bib Gourmand award and one of the best espresso martinis in town.

At the duo’s latest venture in Northwest DC, small plates, grilled skewers and family-style mains find a home on the iconic Georgetown Harbor roundabout. “We decided to open a meze restaurant—Farid and I are Lebanese and well-versed in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine,” says Nammour.

Terracotta-colored walls, plush palm-patterned seating, glass wall sconces and floral wallpaper set the backdrop for an enchanting meal served by executive chef Nate Berry, a former Michelin-starred chef at Plume at the Jefferson Hotel who also heads the kitchen at Residents.

Scott Suchman

Moss-green suede menus open the doors to dishes and drinks unique to each country. Rather than presenting a mashup of all three on one plate or in one glass, River Club reserves a section for each.

“We try to be authentic – these are not fusion dishes of the three cuisines. Each one comes from a specific region,” says Berry. “We sat down and cooked a lot of food and then pared it down to the best of the Mediterranean.”

End cuts include gambas al ajillo and pan con tomate, Wagyu beef carpaccio, croquetas, beef tenderloin skewers, fish fillet or lamb belly, and lobster paella. Berry says his personal favorite is his “for the table” section; groups of two to four can choose from a rack of “fall-off-the-bone” smoked lamb ribs with whipped hummus and labneh; branzino pan-fried Spanish style; or a whole roasted Green Circle chicken, the way Nonna always made it, served with confit potatoes and asparagus.

Scott Suchman

The 3,400-square-foot space is unrecognizable from its previous life as dumpling joint Bangkok Joe’s. Almost every design detail comes from Beirut, 6,000 miles away, which in turn benefited the Lebanese capital’s manufacturing and craft economy. A quirky toucan made of lacquered wicker looks into a high-ceilinged dining room where a retro stained-glass ceiling meets a shimmering mother-of-pearl tile floor. And luxurious tasseled lampshades hang above a bar that used to be in the back.

“As Residents is very focused on cocktails, 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. Initially, River Club will be open from 4 p.m. until late (until midnight on weekends), and brunch will soon be offered.

Scott Suchman

Scott Suchman

Drinks are also inspired by the food, with each country honored with two cocktails. Arak, the popular anise-flavored oriental spirit, joins blueberry-infused cognac, blueberries, lemon and salted sage; a seasonal Negroni is reminiscent of Italy, and a gin and tonic shows love for Spain. Operations manager and former Farmers Restaurant Group employee Jon Arroyo is in charge of the bar.

Scott Suchman

River Club’s pink drink book highlights three different spirits for table service: arak (Lebanon), amaro (Italy) and vermouth (Spain). River Club’s namesake martini is also served tableside and is made with Vusa vodka, Capano Bianco, fino sherry, lemon zest, olives and pickled fennel ingredients. River Club pays homage to the 1990s nightclub of the same name that Nammour’s father ran a few blocks away.

Scott Suchman

Scott Suchman

“The space itself was beautiful – it felt like we were in another world of old Georgetown,” says Arroyo. “We really wanted to focus on the service for this space and everything that makes it special.”

A soundproof new design includes a high-tech sound system geared toward funk, soul, and groovy playlists (think everything from Stevie Wonder to Arabic music). There are no house blends, though; that’s Residents territory. And while Residents’ popular espresso martinis are made with ghee, River Club opens with its own promising pick-me-up, reminiscent of Italian cuisine through affogato gelato and rich pistachio oil.