Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/1531399
SCUTARI ITALIAN RESTAURANT Merchants Row, 2055 Washington St., Hanover 781. 421.8288 / scutariristorante.com 24 Keka opened Alba on 53 in a year when thousands of restaurants nationwide went out of business and new projects simply stopped, many never restarted. Keka and his staff pushed forward, learning and adapting to meet rapidly changing regulations. Among other efforts, his restaurants made headlines for offering on-site COVID shots for all employees. Alba on 53 gave Keka the opportunity to bring a long-imagined vision to life from bare walls and empty space. The beautiful, vibrant restaurant that emerged has become a popular night-out destination and cemented itself as part of the flourishing canvas of Hanover and surrounding South Shore communities. Fans of Alba Quincy are often delightfully surprised by Alba on 53. It features steakhouse favorites loyal customers love at the original, but with bolder, brighter and more adventurous eastern Mediterranean flavors on the menu, too. Lamb meatballs with mint tzatziki and grilled babaganoush flatbread are tantalizing standouts. Sizzling steaks remain the star attraction. Try the melt-in-your-mouth 10-ounce filet mignon or the show-stopping 32-ounce prime beef cowboy steak. Both Alba Quincy and Alba on 53 offer private events. Alba Quincy has become a popular gathering spot for sports, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick's Day and Kentucky Derby watch parties. In-season, enjoy al fresco dining on the expansive Hanover patio or on Quincy's breathtaking roof deck. Scutari, right next door to Alba on 53, in Hanover's Merchant's Row, offers Keka's twist on fresh, authentic, next-level northern Italian cuisine. The scratch kitchen spins handmade pastas and bakes fresh breads daily, while serving house-butchered meats, local seafood and produce, and the finest flours, olive oils and other ingredients imported from Italy. Must-tries include the Emilia-style lasagna with egg pasta, traditional ragu and creamy béchamel sauce – true to the regional style – and soppressata 'nduja pizza with spicy Calabrian salami. Scutari will soon offer private events in their exclusive dining space, perfect for celebrations, business gatherings and more. Leo's Events & Restaurant, meanwhile, coming soon to Braintree, is Keka's biggest, most ambitious concept yet. It will offer one of the region's largest and most glamorous spaces for weddings, corporate parties and other large events, located in the Granite Street space once home to Dunkin' Donuts University. The project includes a steakhouse concept for dining seven days a week. The project fulfills another dream Keka first envisioned many years ago: the region's premier private event space, with the highest levels of service, spectacular food, and elegant fixtures and décor. Guests should also expect the legendary hospitality that has made "I'm a friend of Leo's" a reliable indicator of great food and great times ahead on the South Shore for nearly 25 years. ALBA RESTAURANT QUINCY 1486 Hancock St., Quincy 617.376.2522 / albaquincy.com ALBA RESTAURANT HANOVER Merchants Row, 2053 Washington St., Hanover 781.789.5527 / aalbaon53.com