PROVIDENCE — Leishla Maldonado and her longtime partner, Osman Cortave, were snuggled up in the amber light of their new bar, LOMA, talking about what it’s been like to live out their dream.
When LOMA opens in Providence’s Federal Hill neighborhood sometime in August, it will only hold a maximum of 25 people. Maldonado, who has worked in some of the top cocktail lounges in Providence over the last decade – like The Eddy and Courtland Club – will be behind the five-stool bar.
She grew up in a Puerto Rican family in Chelsea, Mass., a city just north of Boston with a large immigrant population. Cortave and his brother, Yefri Cortave, who are co-owners of LOMA with Maldonado, were born in Guatemala and moved to East Boston as children. They grew up undocumented, living above a Mexican restaurant near the Maverick MBTA station stop. LOMA was created with their families in mind.
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For many blue-collar, working-class Latino families, elegant and high-end restaurants and bars were not part of their world.
“Our parents wouldn’t feel comfortable walking into a place like that. They’re not designed for people like us,” said Osman Cortave. “We wanted to push against the narrative of what a space for people ‘like us’ looks like and feels like, and just try to do it to the highest standard.”
They’re planning to fill LOMA with Latin jazz and salsa from the 1960s, using a collection of records the brothers inherited from their grandfather. Yefri Cortave worked with Sam Duket of Transom Studio Wood Works to create bespoke art and furniture for the entire bar. The lamps have a terracotta glaze. The wall sconces, which are made out of murano glass, are a nod to the historically Italian neighborhood.
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“We are very aware and excited to be in this neighborhood of Federal Hill,” said Osman Cortave. They are surrounded by local institutions: Caserta Pizzeria, which was founded in 1952, is across the street. Pastiche Fine Desserts, located a few doors down on Spruce Street, opened in 1983. Angelo’s, on Atwells Avenue, just celebrated a century of being in business. The Old Canteen opened nearly 70 years ago. “It’s why we are focusing on making LOMA timeless, and respecting what has come before us,” he said.
Unlike other bars, LOMA will only display the five or so spirits they are highlighting that month; the rest will be hidden inside cabinets. They’ll feature their spotlight spirits in special cocktails, and tell guests about the spirits’ producers, distillation methods, and unique flavors.
“Think about when you go to a friend’s house and see what’s on their bar cart. They only have a few bottles, but show you this special whiskey that does great in a Sazerac, or in a Vieux Carré,” said Maldonado. “You try it, and then you need to have that bottle at your own home bar. It’s not so different from a wine tasting. They are intentional about what they want to show you. That’s the experience we want to recreate here.”
A signature cocktail will be the Forraje (“forage” in Spanish), a julep-like drink with nutty, umami-forward flavors. To make it, Maldonado will sous vide shiitake mushroom with sugar, champagne vinegar, almond syrup and fresh orange juice, and blend the syrup with two kinds of sherries: amontillado (a dry sherry with nutty, tobacco aromas) and manzanilla (which is drier, saltier, and lighter in color).
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She also plans to feature vermouth, and her bar will offer plenty of options for those who prefer non-alcoholic options, as well as low-ABV spirits and cocktails.
“Our non-alcoholic program is being built with just as much intentionality as our alcohol program,” said Maldonado, who has not drank alcohol in four years. In addition to using zero-proof spirits that are already on the market, they also plan to make their own.
The space is polished and sophisticated, but is not as intimidating as other high-end boutique bars. For months, Maldonado’s father asked when LOMA would open. When they finally brought him to see the space, “he realized what a bar could be,” she said.
“Every step of this project I have had to tell myself to meet the moment, but also allow myself to feel excited about actually carrying out our dreams,” said Osman Cortave. “Growing up, you have this expectation as an immigrant, as a minority, of what’s expected out of you. We tried to shatter that with this space and what we want to create for us, for our family, and our community.”
LOMA is located at 112 Spruce St. in Providence, R.I. and will open sometime in August 2024. Stay updated on their Instagram page.
This story first appeared in The Food Club, a free weekly email newsletter about Rhode Island food and dining. Already a member of the club? Check your inbox for more news, recipes, and features in the latest newsletter. Not a member yet? If you’d like to receive it via e-mail each Thursday, you can sign up here.
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Alexa Gagosz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.