By Jimmy Del Ponte

Dapper Dan’s Restaurant, which graced The Assembly Square  Mall from around 1981 to 1996, held a gala reunion at Night Games in the Somerville Holiday Inn on Saturday October 16. The place was packed  with familiar faces who hadn’t seen each other in quite a while.  Many of the original bar and wait staff, and throngs of former patrons attended the party put together by “Dapper” Danny Kallis, his wife Denise, Carol Bedford, Maureen from the Holiday Inn, Michele Mobilia, Terry Daly, Lois Slattery, Greta Slattery Covino, Shelia Costa,Yvonne Racicot, and Ray Zhongetti.

Bill Kelly, Joey “Little Elvis” Goodwin and myself, who hosted Karaoke at Dapper’s in its  heyday were in attendance. My ears are still ringing from the music that we “spun” all night. Danny Kallis gave a touching thank you speech half way through the night.

A lot of tears welled up in people’s eyes as they recognized old friends and hugged each other. It was a night of memories, fun, nostalgia, and faces that we have missed for so long. A touching memorial to friends and patrons who have passed on tugged at everyone’s heart’s during a slide show presentation. It was a who’s who from the old Somerville days that we will not soon forget. The crowd from Dapper Dan’s  was indeed, still dapper after all these years.