Feeling chipper

(Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff)

It's as if they heard the fryer sizzle the moment the first slice of haddock hit the oil. The Battery, an authentic Irish fish and chips shop, opened in October, and Irish and British ex-pats are crowding the pint-sized Brighton storefront in search of the crispy-fried tastes of home.

When a smiling counter helper emerges from the open fry area with our haddock supper (above, $10.95), our eyes bulge. Deep-fried battered haddock is plank-sized, and the paper boat of fries that buoys it is no less hefty. We slip it onto the narrow customer counter and dig in.

This "chipper" goes beyond quantity. They've mastered quality too. The fish is moist, the batter dense but flavorful, and the chips are no wimpy shoestrings. Taters here are extra-thick-cut chipper-style fries with crispy edges and steamy soft centers. Splashed with malt vinegar, they are pure starchy pleasure.

But the fun starts as we try all the usual chipper sauces. Pungent curry ($1.50), thin brown gravy ($1), and spunky garlic mayo (50 cents) are so tasty they ignite a frenzy of chip dunking. Chips and gravy under a blanket of gooey cheddar ($3.50 and $4.50) rivals the decadent goodness of Quebec's french-fry dish poutine.

We would happily live here. Squeeze us in between the shiny steel walk-up counter and the self-serve fridge of Irish sodas and we won't bother anyone. We would indulge in repeats of other finds, like tender deep-fried shrimp ($12 for the supper), delicate potato-based fish cakes ($3), and deep-fried garlic mushrooms ($3.95) bursting with juiciness.

The motto here must be "have hot oil, will fry." Even banger sausages ($2.95), a burger ($3.75), and something that resembles a fried baseball, called potato pie ($3.50), hit the fat bath.

The menu will soon include other fry-ables such as scallops, clams, fruit, and, yes, Scotland's chocolate abomination, battered and fried Mars bars. Lunch portions and recipe tweaks are also in the works. We hope the changes will lighten the batter and include juicier burgers ($3.50 to $5.95).

An unlikely chipper favorite called mushy peas ($1.50) needs no repair. To make this side, owner and Cork native Mary Kiely soaks marrowfat peas overnight, then stews them with salt, she says, "just like my mum did before every Sunday supper." Lumpy results look like gruel fit for Oliver Twist. But as a side to a fried supper, they make us as eager to come back as all of those ex-pats.