What does branzino taste like?
Branzino tastes mild, clean and slightly sweet: a delicate white fish with tender, flaky flesh and, when it's roasted whole, crispy salty skin, with barely any fishiness.
Branzino
mild, flaky white fish
Branzino is European sea bass, a Mediterranean fish that Italian and Greek restaurants love to serve whole. The flesh is white, moist and flaky, with a gentle sweetness and very little fishy taste, so it's a safe bet for people who usually avoid fish. Most of the flavor comes from the cooking: grilled or roasted with lemon, olive oil and herbs, the skin crisps up and tastes salty and toasty. When it comes whole, the server may fillet it for you, but watch for small bones.
Where you’ll see it
Grilled or roasted whole with lemon, herbs and olive oil at Mediterranean, Italian and Greek spots, or as crispy-skinned fillets. Sometimes baked in a salt crust or sliced raw as crudo.
Order it if you want fish that's light, mild and fresh, and you don't mind picking around a few bones.
Quick questions
- Does branzino taste fishy?
- Hardly at all. It's one of the mildest fish on a menu: clean, lightly sweet and flaky, a lot like snapper.
- Is branzino the same as sea bass?
- Yes and no. Branzino is European sea bass. In the US, 'sea bass' can also mean Chilean sea bass, an unrelated fish that's much richer and oilier.