Providencia serves original cocktails and appetizers in a former flower shop in Washington DC
Located on a corner of H Street, which is full of nightlife, Providencia is ideal for having a drink before or after dinner or a light meal.
Providencia is a flower shop transformed into a cozy, two-story neighborhood bar, accessed from an alleyway decorated with murals. The menu, created by bartenders Pedro Tobar and Daniel González, combines innovative cocktails that evoke either a family-run pupusería in El Salvador or the Taipei night markets that chef Erik Bruner-Yang used to visit with his grandmother.
Bruner-Yang and pastry chef Paola Vélez have filled the food menu with appetizers and desserts that reflect the heritage of the owners and the immigrant community of Washington DC. There are freshly made pupusas and tamales, and even a milk bread sandwich filled with crab.
Among the dishes, the enormous traditional cornmeal chip stands out, crispy and full of air bubbles, as does the roasted eggplant pupusa filled with nutty Gruyère cheese and topped with optional braised beef. For dinner, a good choice is the whole fried duck leg, coated in kimchi and served with fresh radish and cucumber. The crispy duck is balanced by the spiciness and acidity of the gochujang vinaigrette.
While the impressive Baked Alaska shaved ice is spectacular, the subtly flavored hojicha tiramisu is the best dessert.
Among the cocktails, the Ni de Aquí Ni de Allá combines mezcal and bourbon with a spiced banana syrup, resulting in a surprisingly smooth drink. Luces del Mercado Nocturno, a martini variation flavored with pandan and coconut, is a good mid-meal drink, as it pairs well with both savory and sweet flavors. La Nube Morada is a dessert in a glass, with taro, aquafaba, and oat milk blended into a creamy purple cocktail.
The bar offers a happy hour with Prince Edward Island oysters for $1, from 10 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday, when the number of walk-in customers usually decreases and it's easier to find a spot.