Meet the chip shop owner who deep fries Oreos in Jammie Dodger batter

The Herald Scotland

4 days ago

Owned by David (Davie) Henderson and Richard Newton, it's Davie's interesting take on classic dishes that has attracted customers from across the UK to the Happy Haddock on Duff Street in the small coastal town of Macduff.
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Racking up tens of thousands of views on various TikToker's review videos, customers can't get enough of the weird and wonderful flavours.
Most famous for their Irn-Bru batter, you'll find everything from chocolate to lemon and lime, Jammie Dodger and a special chocolate orange batter around Christmas time on the menu.
Deep fried Oreo cookies in Jammie Dodger batter (Image: Julia Bryce)
'We've had people as far as the south of England come,' chuckles Davie while bagging his homemade crisps fresh out the fryer.
'I can't believe it. I'm genuinely shocked at the number of folk that have been visiting for our Irn-Bru chicken fillets. We've had to close the shop on multiple occasions because we've sold out. I'm going through about 20 kilos of chicken in a night and two and a half stone of fish, which is over 100 fillets.'
Fan favourites are the Irn-Bru chicken fillets, of which there are five in a portion, and the battered haddock. And the suppers aren't for the faint hearted either as Davie likes customers to feel they've got good value for money.
He said: 'The most rogue combinations must be either onion rings in chocolate batter, or an eight-year-old girl requested a beef burger in chocolate batter. I asked her to taste it before she left because I couldn't believe that she'd like it, but she loved it. We've also had requests for fish in chocolate batter, but I'd recommend the lemon and lime, personally.'
An Iron Bru battered chicken supper (Image: Julia Bryce)
Sporting a sweet tooth himself, customers can purchase deep-fried Tunnock's teacakes, Magnums, Oreos, chocolate brownies and doughnuts off the menu as it is, as well as a range of stocked chocolate bars.
And never mind BYOB (bring your own bottle) it's BYOC – bring your own chocolate – at the Happy Haddock as Davie actively encourages customers to bring in chocolate bars they'd love to try deep-fried for £1 a bar.
He's also known for deep-frying a whole host of interesting items including mushy peas and cheesy beans.
'I'll give anything a try,' the batter artist declares.
The shop has been a part of Macduff's history since the 1960s, although the current ownership's involvement doesn't quite span the 60 years it has been in operation.
Davie worked at the shop for two and a half years before it shut in 2022 as a result of rising energy costs. However, Richard purchased it in 2023, and he and Davie brought back to life one of the two remaining fish and chip shops in the town.
The Happy Haddock (Image: Julia Bryce)
Since then, they've grown the team to around 10 part-time employees at the shop which is open from 4-8pm Tuesday to Sunday, or until they sell out. A usual shift for Davie can be up to 10 hours prepping, cooking and cleaning.
The Happy Haddock features local produce across its menu, sourcing its fish from Macduff's Inshore Fish Supply, pies from Strichen's Pie Aroma, McWilliams' puddings and the burgers are sourced from The Smokehouse in Portsoy.
Davie is also known for his generosity, handing out free samples of new batter flavours he's experimenting with, offering loyalty cards, and providing free meals to on-duty emergency services workers with The Happy Haddock even offering discounts to Blue Light badge holders.
Taste test
On the day I visit the Happy Haddock, Davie's head is down and focused on the homemade crisps he's frying up that are made fresh every day. He tells me the fish itself had just been landed at the harbour earlier that morning, and the oil is bubbling away like a cauldron awaiting its next feast.
The promotion of their now famous Irn-Bru chicken fillets hits you in the face as soon as you step into the shop with the large sign hanging above the warming counter. No one's missing that.
Davie at the counter (Image: Julia Bryce)
I leave our order mainly in Davie's hands, suggesting the firm favourites and some of the items he insists my partner and I try.
We retreat to the car, two bags full.
Irn-Bru chicken fillet supper (£11.50)
The succulent chicken breast is excellent quality and with five pieces and a box stacked full of chips you're getting your money's worth. While the batter looked incredibly crisp as soon as it came out the fryer, by the time I tried it in the car it was a bit soggier due to the condensation in the box. The batter did have a subtle tangy, sweetness to it, but I didn't experience the smack in the face Irn-Bru flavour I was anticipating. The size of them is worth shouting about alone.
Presentation: 3/5
Taste: 3.5/5
Standard haddock supper (£10)
The piece of fish was cooked to perfection. The batter was crispy on the outside and the fish inside was soft and flavoursome. Again, excellent value given the portion size of the fish and the added chips.
Presentation: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Mucky pigs (battered pigs in blankets) with cheese and gravy (£7.50)
Pigs in blankets aren't just for Christmas, they are also for loading cheddar cheese and gravy all over. While the sausage inside was fragrant, the bacon was a little too soft for my liking. The gravy was rich and beefy, and the molten cheese finished off this glutenous dish of five battered pigs in blankets perfectly.
Presentation: 3.5/5
Taste: 3/5
Homemade crisps (£1.50 per bag)
Davie's homemade chips (Image: Julia Bryce)
Large fried pieces of thinly sliced potato make for excellent homemade crisps. I added some sea salt flakes and vinegar to the bag and gave it a good shake at home and this elevated them. I'd recommend asking for this in the shop to them at their best.
Presentation: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Deep-fried Oreos in Jammie Dodger batter (£3.50)
You don't think this should work, but it certainly does. The Jammie Dodger batter was my favourite of all the flavoured batters and had a beautiful, sweet custard meets raspberry flavour to it. The batter was the star.
Presentation: 3/5
Taste: 4/5
Deep fried chocolate Magnum in chocolate batter (£3)
A Magnum in chocolate batter (Image: Julia Bryce)
Taking a classic chocolate Magnum and deep frying it in chocolate batter can surely only mean it gets better? Don't knock it until you've tried it. But beware, it's a messy eat.
Presentation: 4/5
Taste: 4/5
Deep-fried Mars Bar in chocolate batter (£2.50)
This classic fish was first invented at a Stonehaven-based chipper but Davie has put his own spin on it. And yes, the chocolate batter makes it even more indulgent than the regular battered version. I'd have preferred if the batter was just a little crisper, however.
Presentation: 3/5
Taste: 3/5