Excuse the pun, but...

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Posted at 1:51PM, 20 May 2008 by Andrea McGinniss - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good pun - and a bad one too. I'm very lucky I get to work in a job where I can indulge in bad punnery daily. Luckily for you most of them don't make it onto the website, I just have to make do with making my workmates cringe instead.

But you don't need me to put a little pun-shine in your life (sorry). It's everywhere. From hairdressers (in Ireland I loved Curl up and Dye - but somehow resisted having my hair cut there) to florists (in Melbourne, Shoots and Leaves), but my favourites are undoubtedly the fast food joints.

I can't help smiling when I walk past the Spice Grills. Past its prime and a little on the seedy side, no one can accuse it of being inappropriately named.

Every day on my way to work I can't help smiling when I walk past the Spice Grills. Past its prime and a little on the seedy side, no one can accuse it of being inappropriately named. In Melbourne when I wanted something quick and vegetarian I could go to Lord of the Fries.

When I lived in Ireland there was nothing that magic about Abrakebabra, but the kebabs hit the spot after a couple too many Guinness's. If I ever find myself craving fried chicken or pizza in Leyton I'm definitely going to seek out Drum and Base, and next time I'm in Covent Garden I hope to pop into Just Felafs, just for the laugh, like.

It's the fish and chips shops, though, that take first plaice (groan) when it comes to the puns. Londoners can pay their respects to great fish and chips at The Codfather in Finchley, get down and groove at the Fishcotheque in Waterloo or chow down on chips at the Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden.

I don't know about you, but I like a bit of fun pun with my fried food. Maybe one day I'll even open my very own takeaway, Just for the Halibut. Let me know if you've found any gems in your travels, I'd love to expand my repertoire.

Comments

Caroline

20 May 2008, 2:23PM
Caroline

Not on the subject of food, but there's a taxidermist in Islington called 'Get Stuffed'. Nice.

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robin

20 May 2008, 2:37PM
robin

There used to be a kebab shop round the corner from my house called Kebabylon, I always enjoyed that pun (as well as the occasional late-night kebab)

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Tom

20 May 2008, 3:40PM
Tom

There's a few <a href="http://www.shophorror.co.uk/pages/gallery.html">here ...</a> Battersea Cod's Home is genius ...

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Andrea

20 May 2008, 4:03PM
Andrea

I just heard about another one: Jason's Doner Van. Love it :)

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James

20 May 2008, 7:36PM
James

Maybe it's a marketing thing with the fish 'n chip shops. I keep going past 'For Cod's Sake' in Cheltenham. You certainly remember it - and road rage aside, you say it out loud while you're passing too. Still haven't been in though.

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Little Red Courgette

21 May 2008, 10:25AM
Little Red Courgette

I had a fingerlickin good piece of friend chicken in a diner in New York called Pluck U. Surprisingly the service was pretty friendly too.

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Mark

21 May 2008, 4:28PM
Mark

Outwardly we all groan at puns, but a good pun leaves me warm, happy and in admiration of the punner. I like to reward such establishments with my custom. In an unknown town I would buy my chips from Dave/Kev/Bev's Plaice, my roses at Making Scents and my sausages at J. Blog & Sons Butchers because the sign says "We meat your needs". As the Spencer Davis Group sang... Keep on punning!

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shez

21 May 2008, 9:27PM
shez

Mine is a hair dresser one too which was in my home town until a few months ago and it was Roland Wrinklers. Not sure if Roland existed!!!

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Chris Brack

22 May 2008, 8:10AM
Chris Brack

Hi, my wife and I were only talking about this subject a few weeks ago. We were thinking of running a gourmet fish and chip van, sellingthings like salt and pepper squid, pints of prawns with alioli, goose fat chips etc. We were thinking of calling it Cods Wollop.

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Holly

23 May 2008, 4:46PM
Holly

Some fab ones there. I love a good pun, the more cringey the better. Unfortunately I'm rubbish at thinking of them, it's much harder than people realise. I'm going to start paying more attention to signs in hope of spotting a good one.

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akzincke

23 May 2008, 5:15PM
akzincke

If you're ever in Dewsbury (or Dewsbronx as some locals call it, not without justification) a visit to Get Battered is worth a couple of quid. That's a fish n chippery, as if you didn't guess.

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chocolate-rose

24 May 2008, 9:19PM
chocolate-rose

there's definitely something about a good bad-pun! :-D here's a link to a thread that there was on the bbc food message boards about pun names: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbfood/F2670471?thread=5267269 some of them are a great laugh! x

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Louise

27 May 2008, 3:48PM
Louise

A fried chicken place opened up near us a couple of years ago and it was called Kents Tuck In fried chicken.It didn't last long and rumour had it that Kentucky sued them though i doubt this was true it made a good local story.

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Zoe Lee

28 May 2008, 11:44AM
Zoe Lee

A greasy spoon van near our local tip (nice...) is called 'Everything under the bun'!

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philw2008

30 May 2008, 11:21AM
philw2008

My favourite is a curry restaurant in Birmingham called 'Balti Towers'.

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Marola

3 June 2008, 10:23PM
Marola

If I'm not too late to add a few that I have found in my travels Crusty Bloomers (a bakers in Bradford on Avon) Shirley Temple (Curry house in Shirley,Birmingham) Fork 'n Ale (Pub fast food by Ushers of Trowbridge)

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Lesley

19 June 2008, 12:07PM
Lesley

Sorry, nothing to do with food but I saw a cleaning company's van with the name 'Spruce Springclean' which gave us a laugh.

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Maggie Doyle

9 July 2008, 8:10PM
Maggie Doyle

In Glasgow there's a sandwich shop called 'Roland Butter'. Quality.

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Caz

20 July 2008, 9:12PM
Caz

when I was younger, we went to Cornwall and saw a fish shop called 'Asalt and Battery'. Very nice they were too!

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