Great minds think alike 

At the beginning of this year, I had what I thought was a brilliant idea. Even better than having a brilliant idea is when someone else also has a brilliant idea that makes yours even better.

With the daily hustle and bustle, there are many people whose company we would like to enjoy but rarely actually get to visit. Occasionally ,you bump into each other and insist you really must get together for lunch or a drink, but the hustle and bustle usually wins.

I decided that if I could arrange a lunch date with one new person each week – OK, at least every other week – then over the course of a year I could enjoy the company of 26-52 wonderful people while exploring our area’s best lunch spots.

Cue the email from Lydia Earhart, editor of CityLife, asking if I would like to meet for lunch. She had an idea for a column exploring our area’s midday dining options, “A Lady Who Lunches.” Knowing how much I love to seek out the best and most unusual eateries wherever I travel, she knew this would be right up my alley.

I could not think of a better place to begin than with the very lunch we were ordering at Abby Singer’s Bistro. Now don’t get me wrong. As an independent southern belle with too many irons in the fire, I often relish lunch alone, taking a moment to keep quiet company with my thoughts or an interesting read. While I know many women who are still hesitant about eating out alone, it can be quite a pleasant respite. Certain eateries can be cozier than others, and Abby Singer’s Bistro is definitely one of those.

Looking over the latest menu, I definitely get the feeling Abby Singer’s Bistro has truly become comfortable in its own walls. The selections are different yet familiar, a combination that enhances the atmosphere created by the Robinson Film Center experience.

Executive chef Tootie Morrison said she considers the diverse crowds and the movies they come to see when creating her menus. Morrison believes simple is best. She incorporates quality ingredients in a minimalist style in order not to muddy the flavors. This practice gives each dish a chance to shine.

This afternoon, Lydia chose to order the turkey burger served with a choice of regular or sweet potato fries. In their popular “Build Your Own” section of the menu, burgers can be ordered with a welcomed choice of turkey, beef, portobello mushroom or veggie patty. Although the buns are not usually a highlight in most burgers, the delicious sourdough, multi-grain or whole wheat buns specially ordered from a Houston bakery are worth the mention. With a cheese selection that includes blue, goat and pepper jack, plus prosciutto, jalapenos or avocado that can be added for a little extra, these burgers are built to taste.

If you’re not in the mood to decide, they also have a featured “Burger of the Month.”

I chose a personal favorite: the Tuna Tower salad. Fresh spring greens are tossed with pan-seared medium-rare tuna, toasted sesame seeds, red bell pepper, avocado and their house oriental dressing then layered between crisp triangles of wonton. Morrison said all dressings and sauces including their fabulous remoulade are made fresh in house. This is a difference that can definitely be tasted.

During lunch, you will find they have a nice range of soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees available ranging in cost from $5-$14. Another thing I appreciate is that the items on the lunch menu transitioning to the dinner menu maintain their price and portions. These join several evening additions ranging between $14-$22, such as eggplant parmesan and stuffed snapper.

Not long after Lydia and I parted, heading back to our respective offices, I realized I had not taken any pictures to share with our readers. Of course, that meant I would need to go back and visit during my second favorite time of day: the Abby Singer’s Bistro happy hour. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in addition to their usual quality cocktail options, they offer a selection of $5 house wines or martinis and $4 mixed drinks along with half-price appetizers.

With items like duck nachos, braised duck in chipotle adobo sauce and goat cheese over wonton chips, and shrimp remoulade, plump large shrimp served over crisp lightly fried green tomatoes with a lashing of house made remoulade sauce, their appetizers are a notch above typical happy hour fare. For something a little lighter, they have a dish of mussels lightly steamed with fennel and shallots in white wine sauce and butter broth, or the Abby’s Cheeseboard with three gourmet cheeses with prosciutto, hummus, honey, fruit and flat bread.

As for the cocktails, in my opinion their bartender, Patrick O’Brien (yes, that really is his name), makes the most fabulous dark chocolate martini in town. It is not surprising Abby Singer’s Bistro won the 2014 People’s Choice Award with their delectable strawberry Marilyn Martini at the ARTini, a martini and art fundraiser held each April in support of the Bossier Arts Council. Happy hour is good, but with so many great choices at Abby Singer’s Bistro, maybe we should bring back the three martini lunch.