TOO many fast food joints get a bad name these days.

I don’t just mean the relentless abuse they get from the healthy-eating brigade. I mean literally as well. Too many simply have lousy names.

It really shouldn’t be that way. Fish and chip shops, in particular, are made for great names – or rather, great puns. My favourite chippy growing up in Edinburgh was run by a family from Italy and called, fittingly, Eatalias. There’s one in Sheffield called the Battersea Cod’s Home and one in Cornwall called A Salt and Battery. And here in York, there’s a Frier Tucks in Heworth. Too many others, though, are left floundering. Mere small fry in the name stakes. You can’t help feeling they cod do better.

A quick trawl of the net reveals endless other opportunities for somewhat fishy puns. Why not try it yourself, just for the halibut? You’ll have a whale of a time.

As you may have guessed I, like many journalists, am a bit of a pun-lover. So I was quite chuffed when York’s latest chippy opened with a suitably jocular name: The Codfather.

I pondered that moniker as I headed to the plaice last Monday night. What, I wondered, if it isn’t just a pun? What if it’s a veiled threat to any critics that they could end up battered or sleeping with the fishes? Or worse yet, that they would wake up with a haddock’s head in their bed? Worrying stuff.

Thankfully, such fears went untested as The Codfather provided little cause for complaint, with wholesome portions, quality food, and friendly service all in good supply.

Aptly, The Codfather is a family firm, father and son duo David and Nick Leedham having opened a couple of months ago, proving that even in these difficult economic times, the chips aren’t down for everyone.

Indeed capitalising on the credit crunch, or munch, is part of the Leedhams’ aim, they say – offering affordable but good food as the recession starts to bite. A sound plan, and one they seem to be achieving so far. Locals are taking the bait, without staff having to go trouting for business.

I headed along with an old uni mate Ian, who grew up in a chippy-owning family so considers himself something of a big fish in this area.

The premises, on the corner of Goodramgate and Ogleforth, were previously William’s Bar and, more latterly, Dean’s, but they now house a frier and some basic seating for takeaway diners downstairs, with a sit-in restaurant area upstairs.

Ian went for haddock, chips, mushy peas and bread and butter (£6.50 for the lot) and also had a cup of tea (£1.50). I went for the “homemade” mince and onion pie, only to be told that the pie-makers weren’t back from holiday yet, so none had been delivered, which put the “homemade” claim into some context.

Instead, I opted for the chicken supreme, chips, baked beans and bread and butter (£5.95 for the lot) and a Sprite (95p), taking the total bill to £14.90. To take-away, the cost would have been about a tenner. Not stunning value, but pretty fair.

There is, it has to be said, a limit to what one can say about two meals in a chippy in one of the quietest weeks of the year. Hence me carping on with this plethora of puns instead.

Like many chippies, The Codfather lacks soul but it has other fish instead, not to mention other chippy mainstays.

The restaurant area is comfortable and homely, the staff friendly and – most importantly – the food is fantastic. I hesitate to say it’s the best in all of York, but based on this trip and also my previous visit as a take-away punter, this is up there with Wackers as the best in the city centre.

The chips were golden and crispy, as was the batter, and there was little – if any – grease. The chicken was tender, and its breadcrumb coating had an enjoyable slightly spicy edge, while the fish was full of flavour, a good size, and the perfect texture, flaking apart with ease.

Baked beans and mushy peas obviously won’t set anyone’s pulses racing, but both were fine and we got plenty of them.

And that, as they say, was that. We headed on to the pub, impressed with the food, value and service and, frankly, that’s all you can ask for in a chippy. Except, of course, a good name. And we didn’t need to go fishing for that.

The Codfather, 14 Goodramgate, York.

Tel: 01904 671400.

Gavin visited The Codfather on Monday, January 5.