Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen is now officially open at Rio in Gaithersburg following a weeklong soft opening phase. Our very own “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis stopped by on opening day and shared a first-look video, which can be seen below.
Located at 212 Boardwalk Place in the space previously occupied by a music school, Kareem’s is the restaurant’s first location in the Washington metropolitan area, joining its original location in Naples, Florida.
The lunch menu includes several varieties of hummus, including traditional, harissa and beet, along with mezze options such as baba ghanoush, muhammara and labneh. Pita wraps include chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, falafel and lamb kafta.
Grilled entrées include Shish Taouk, Lamb Kafta and Salmon Harra. The menu also features fattoush salad, lemon lentil soup and Lebanese flatbreads topped with sfiha, cheese or zaatar.
The “Taste of Beirut” section includes a chef’s sampler featuring six popular spreads, a Beiruti Special with a choice of shawarma or falafel, and a shawarma platter served with rice and grilled vegetables.
Kareem’s also offers cocktails, zero-proof drinks, Lebanese beer, arak and a wine list that includes several selections from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Desserts include baklava, Beirut qatayef, cardamom-chocolate lava cake, Kareem’s asal cake and pistachio ice cream.
Kareem’s is led by Chef Rachid, whose culinary roots trace back generations in Beirut, Lebanon. He attended the Culinary School of Beirut and began his career at the InterContinental Hotel in Beirut before moving to the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC.
According to the restaurant, Kareem’s was created to honor Chef Rachid’s family heritage while sharing the flavors and hospitality of Lebanon.
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