Esencias Panameñas — Local services in Washington

We ordered a Panamanian Rum Cake to celebrate my colleague’s birthday! She misses Panama and was genuinely thrilled and emotional to have a cake from the only Panamanian restaurant in DC. She says it was one of her favorite restaurants pre-COVID and is so glad their business is still serving amazing food.

I wasn’t sure if shipping the cake would affect its freshness but I can say from experience - at least with overnight shipping - the cake was tender moist sweet and so delicious; the entire office drooled.

To top it off, I approached this restaurant with very short notice and as a first time customer and they went above and beyond to help me get this cake to my event. They turned around my cake order around with just 36 hours notice - I ordered Wednesday evening at 5:30pm, and they arranged the overnight shipping such that I could get the cake in Arlington VA at 11am. when I called them, they talked me through a challenge I had with their online order form and it was smooth sailing.

Appreciate the excellent customer service and DELICIOUS food. I look forward to ordering their lunch catering for future...

Chef Yadira’s culinary expertise and full service catering (table and chair covers, table set up, desert and cake set up, bartender and drinks, clean up crew) along with her capable and attentive staff exceeded our expectations. Her patience, demeanor and suggestions made my decision to use her services easy. Her menus included a variety of selections to suite every occasion and satisfy every taste. The meal and desert were tasty; we are still getting calls about them. The desert table which included the cake she provided were nicely displayed. The honoree’s table set up was special and included a bucket with our favorite beverages..The evening reflected attention to detail at it’s best including dietary restrictions. Thank you Chef Yadira for being a part of my husband’s unforgettable 80th Birthday...

Wow! I cannot recommend Esencias Panamenas and Chef Yadira highly enough. She catered our daughter's first communion celebration at home. She arrived early and helped us to set up. The menu she designed was incredible - the variety of tastes and textures blew our mind. The carimanolas, ceviche, coconut rice and mango braised chicken wings were so delicious that our guests went back not only for seconds but for thirds. My mother in law, who is from the province of Chiriqui in Panama, felt transported back home. As people were leaving, we received multiple requests for her contact information. Thank you, Chef! We are crossing our fingers that one day you will be able to reopen your restaurant so that we will not have to wait for a special occasion to enjoy...