In the Holiday Spirit with a Swizzle and Twist
This holiday season, bartender Leishla Maldonado advises us, “Do not sleep on the Cobbler.” For nearly a decade, I’ve watched Leishla work her magic behind some of our favorite bars—including The Eddy, Courtland Club and Dolores—spear-heading the low-ABV and spiritfree [sic] cocktail movement here in Rhode Island. In late fall, Leishla, together with her partner Osman Cortaves and Osman’s twin brother, Yefri, opened an intimate classic cocktail bar with Latin American influences called Loma.
After a full two-year facelift, the former cup-cake store just down the street from Pastiche on Federal Hill has been radically transformed into a rosy, amber-lit bar room with five seats at the bar and a luscious apricot/caramel velvet banquet that hugs the room’s perimeter. We caught up in the mod new space to dish bar inspiration and what she’ll be mixing up for holiday guests this year.
Willa: First things first, what does “Loma” mean?
Leishla: Loma translates to both hills and valleys in Spanish. It’s inspired by the Guatemalan landscape where Osman and Yefri are from plus my ancestral home of Puerto Rico. Since Loma is on Federal Hill and next to the Valley neighborhood, it felt like a natural.
W: Such a clever nod to your roots! What other elements inspired your bar design?
L: We wanted a cozy, elevated home bar vibe, so that’s what we did. Warm lighting with rich welcoming tones on each surface. Our menu embraces classic cocktails through a Latin American lens and embraces the fruits and other ingredients we grew up with. Like jocote—a tropical fruit that tastes like a cross between mango and citrus. It’s perfect swapped in for the lemon juice in a Fizz or a Collins along with the base spirit, sugar and sparkling water.
W: Brilliant. Are there any recipes that you’ll be leaning into this holiday season?
L: Yes! I like the Holiday Cobbler and the Reverse Martini because they’re great lowABV recipe templates that still honor the classics. Cobblers are fun because you can swap in 2 ounces of any fortified wine, like vermouth or port. For Martinis, I prefer a lighter recipe. The OG Martini is more gin than vermouth, but here I swap the ratio so it’s 2 ounces dry or blanc vermouth to 1 ounce gin.
W: Any other recipe pointers for our readers?
L: Garnish! Cobblers are all about the ornate flourish, so go wild. Start by muddling fresh oranges, swizzle (or energetically stir) your choice of fortified wine with lots of crushed ice. Hunt through your refrigerator or spice cabinet for garnish inspiration. Fresh fruit, citrus, herbs and spices are all great additions.
W: Where can we find you to try these delicious drinks?
L: Visit me at Loma: 112 Spruce Street in Providence, right across from Caserta.
W: Perfect—we’ll see you from across the bar at Loma!
Willa Van Nostrand is an award-winning mixologist, beverage consultant and owner of Little Bitte Artisanal Cocktails and World’s Fair Gallery. Visit her at LittleBitte.com.
