Fiona’s Fish & Chips now open in Long Neck

It took 25 years to realize, but Gerry Hendrix said she has always wanted to open a restaurant, which is why she and longtime boyfriend Freeman Dordell have opened Fiona’s Irish Fish & Chips in Long Neck.

“I’ve got 10 to 15 years more of work, so I wanted to take the chance and fulfill a dream,” said Hendrix, who recently turned 50.

Born and raised in Dublin, Hendrix said the new restaurant, located off Long Neck Road in Long Neck, is modeled after a traditional Irish chipper. “It’s the one thing that people from Ireland miss the most,” she said.

Hendrix, with decades of experience in the banking industry, runs the business end of the restaurant, while Dordell, who has a culinary degree from the Philadelphia Restaurant School and just as much culinary experience, is the chef.

The couple moved from Wilmington six months ago, with dreams of opening the restaurant before Memorial Day, but Hendrix said getting the permits took longer than expected. “At least we were able to open by Labor Day,” she said, with a still-learning-the-ropes shrug.

Dordell said the fish is always fresh and everything from the tartar sauce to the garlic sauce is made in house.

Dordell said he prepares two batches of fish each day. He said the fish soaks in an apple liquor, salt brine and secret seasoning brine for an hour before getting cold smoked for an hour. “The smoker doesn’t get above 85 degrees because it will cook and fall apart,” he said.

Fiona of Fiona’s Fish & Chips is the daughter of Hendrix and Dordell. At some point, when she’s a little older, she’ll be the brand of the restaurant, said Hendrix. For now, she said, Fiona loves coming to restaurant and spending time there after school.

In addition to the traditional fish and chips, Fiona’s offers other Irish specialties including Irish stew, shepherd's pie, colcannon – Irish mashed potatoes, mushy peas and coleslaw that uses a recipe Hendrix’s mom used to sell to restaurants in Dublin.

The menu also includes burgers and chicken tenders for customers who may not want the fish.

“My mom is always telling me that nobody should ever go home hungry when they leave your restaurant,” Hendrix said.

Nearly two months in, Hendrix said she knows the right decision was made.

“I would never go back to banking,” she said.

Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. Hendrix said the hours will be adjusted appropriately during the summer months.

For more information on Fiona’s Fish & Chips, 32497 Long Neck Road, call 302-945-4520 or go to the Facebook page.