Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

This article first ran in the April 16, 2011 edition of The Somerville Times.

Long before there were lines to get into The Ball Square, they were lining up to get into a Davis Square eatery called Kay and Chips. Anyone who is over the age of 40 probably has a memory of this historical restaurant. It was opened every day of the year except Christmas and Thanksgiving, but the weekends were when things really started moving and shaking.

Kay and Chips’ diner was located on the corner of Highland and Cutter Avenues in Davis Square. Unlike the throngs of hungry people at those other places, the lines for Kay and Chips formed a lot later. You see, this place opened from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on the weekends, and that’s when the place really got cooking.

Bar flies hit Kay and Chips after the bars closed down and last call for alcohol was history. They came from Faces Disco, Johnny D’s, Aku Aku Chinese restaurant, The Powder House Pub, and every bar in Somerville and Cambridge. They came looking for food when they were all danced out.

Night owls, sometimes feeling no pain, flocked to Kay and Chips to feast on eggs, bacon, toast and home fries. The place was usually always packed and almost everyone showed up with a mean case of the munchies.

With that type of clientele, sometimes things got a little unruly. A former waitress referred to some of the patrons as “late night weirdos.” I was one of the weirdos a few times, along with some of my friends. If a “misunderstanding” happened to break out, Chip might flash a bat to calm things down. There were usually a few police officers around to help keep the peace.

When it got really busy the cops would go into the kitchen and help wash the dishes or make toast. Once in a while “the boys from the North End” would come in and break bread with the Somerville guys. The two things they all had in common were that they were usually “feeling good,” and very hungry. Some former patrons admit that they don’t remember that much about the diner because they rarely went to Kay and Chips sober. It was a wild and crazy place.

The Texas breakfast along with the hand cut steak and eggs had a lot of fans back then. Chip made a killer omelet and his homemade hash was famous. A former waitress remembers making gallons of milk shakes. The Greek salads were also a favorite. Chip’s nephew started working at the restaurant when he was 13. He recalls making breakfast for former Mayor S. Lester Ralph.

Even though their town had The Golden Egg, on Mystic Ave., the Pewter Pot and Carroll’s Diner in Medford Square and Howard Johnson’s near Wellington, many Medford residents frequented Kay and Chips.

Check out this story: “We ordered eggs and home fries and were told they were out of home fries. We were very disappointed. The guy sitting next to my friend gets his order of eggs and home fries and proceeds to pass out face down in his eggs. My friend says with a smile, he won’t need these, and ate the home fries off of his plate. No one blinked an eye, especially the egg faced guy next to us!” People who lived near the restaurant remember how loud and rowdy the customers got in the wee hours of the morning.

Before it became Kay and Chips, Harry Fraser owned a variety store on the spot. Harry then sold it to Chip. This info came right from Harry’s grandchildren.

Chip passed away in 1991. The family kept things going for a while longer but eventually sold the business. The diner ran under new management for a few years as “Dolly’s.” It just donned on me that we never mentioned “Kay.” Stay tuned for an addendum.

A lot of Somerville people have lots of stories about the rocking days of Kay and Chips. There were a lot of laughs to be had in that place. Everyone speaks very highly of Chip because he was a great guy. A former patron refereed to him as “salt of the earth.” Kay and Chips was the place to go whether you had an appetite for good food, late night adventure, or both.