Carmela's Collaborates with Keegan Kreations

Carmela's Collaborates with Keegan Kreations

By Bonnie Owens

Carmela's Italian Restaurant & Lounge is founded on a long tradition of serving great tasting, authentic Italian food made from fresh, homemade ingredients. The family behind Carmela's, the Viscariellos, opened their first restaurant in Kingston fifty years ago. With the success of its first location and the ambition of the second generation, they proceeded to open seven more restaurants on the South Shore. They are best known for Mamma Mia's; and their sister restaurants are Carmela's in Kingston, and ThreeV in Plymouth. Today, they're sharing their decades' experience with their new nextdoor neighbor, Keegan's Kreations in Kingston. 

Carmela's embodies the perfect union of exceptional food, hand-selected wines, and a lively ambiance. Their menu blends authentic Italian cuisine, prepared with traditional techniques and ingredients, with rotating food and drink specials that offer modern takes on Italian classics. Carmela's has a long-standing relationship with the Kingston community, having opened in 1996. Knowing the community so well, they wanted to help get the word out about their new neighbor Keegan's Kreations. But how?

Keegan Kreations is a classic French pastry style bakery specializing in croissants, cakes, and pies. Owners and his wife Yilin Chen opened this second location in March, just next to Carmela's (their first location is in Plymouth). The week prior to opening, Keegan was visited by Carmela's co-owner Johnny Viscariello and his mother Jenny. "She told me about making meatballs by hand and hard work. She called me 'young man!'" says Keegan. That day, he learned first-hand experience of running an immigrant-owned food business in Kingston, and just how supportive of small businesses the residents are.

Keegan's Kreations closes at 3pm, so Carmela's asked if they could purchase some of Keegan's gorgeous pastries to offer to their dinner guests as dessert. Keegan's wheels started spinning. "I want it to be something special, not just something they could get from us any day of the week," says Keegan. He is full of energy and enthusiasm, which meant he could design the perfect thing for the cross-promotion: Italian Ricotta Pie. Carmela's co-owner Gina Viscariello Albanese found her mother Francesca's original recipe, and the collaboration began.

Keegan put his spin on the classic, delving into his Johnson and Wales education, Taj Boston training, and five-star, five-diamond Wheatleigh Hotel experience. The final product, he says, "is Italian family recipe meets French pastry." It has a buttery tart-shell crust and a mild, dense filling. It is served with traditional pistachio gelato, and it pairs nicely with Carmela's Espresso Martini. The exclusive, Keegan-created dessert is only available during dinner at Carmela's, every night of the week. The joint promotion will last through July and August, though both neighbors hope that this is just the start of a long, happy friendship.