The in downtown Shreveport has announced a well-known local restaurant owner will join Abby Singer's Bistro as head chef. Chef Neimatulai DiGrazia, owner of in Shreveport will be the new head chef. She's bringing along with her husband Matthew DiGrazia who will be the chef de cuisine and Matt Reeves, the cook from Neima's, to join the team at Abby's.
Executive Director of RFC Wendell Riley told The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate, "Chef Niema will continue to bring unique and creative dishes to the region that will combine her West African heritage, her love of Caribbean cuisine, and the influences of Louisiana food culture, and we can’t wait for our patrons to experience it." Part of the new vision is to maintain the bistro style and provide an elevated dining experience. "With the team that she is building, we know that Abby Singer’s Bistro will become a food destination for the region," Riley added.
Chef Neima told The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate that she wants to create a menu that includes fresh, quality food. She will be keeping many of the favorite menu items, like the Royale Burger, Mighty Duck Nachos, and sandwiches like the First Wives Club, while adding some new items, like her Caribbean Egg Rolls. She says there will be fresh tomato basil soup and potato leeks soup, but she has plans for a new version of gumbo.
There's also another favorite that's going to change. The chicken and waffles will become chicken and beignets. Her version is lighter, and she adds, "I don't do frozen waffles.
I believe in what we put in our body and, you know, advocate for that big time." She's already been in the kitchen for about three weeks, and reported, "people are very happy about the new flavors, the taste." She plans to bring in fresh Gulf seafood and hopes her husband introduces some steak options.
She said her husband has worked at steakhouses for the last 20 years. She plans to have monthly experiences, like girls' night out or other events, with different themes where she will create a unique menu. They hope to add in some cooking classes.
Abby's will continue to have happy hours and daily food specials. And about the bar at the bistro, she said, "We're bringing on some new bartenders that have been around town, some seasoned ones, so we can make more fun drinks," she said. Don't worry if you are fans of Niema’s Cookery Corner.
It will remain open inside Sunshine Health Market at 5751 Youree Drive in Shreveport. “I do have a strong team that I've trained for the past four years that are capable to do it. I do have my sister here from Sierra Leone that is helping me, you know, keep an eye on it and make sure of the quality and consistency," she said.
"I created a spice to be able to take me out of the kitchen and replace me with that spice.".
