Basa

I'm on a mission ......

Ok, so I was at the Brew House today and asked what fish they use for their beer battered fish and chips. I was told, as in other restaurants I've been to, they use sea bass. So I asked if that meant BASA....the waiter said yes. I explained basa isn't sea bass. Folks, BASA is CATFISH.... catfish catfish catfish. I hate catfish.

It's not only catfish... it's Vietnamese farmed catfish. It must be very cheap considering that Mexico has two oceans to fish from.
Sea Bass is Robalo.
The waiters are only repeating what they've been told.

I had basa mojo de ajo today at the American legion. It sure wasn't from the sea and I assume that it is the Vietnamese catfish named Pangasius. I will go to the Chapala market and eat fish next time, real salt water fish.



http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2011/09/13/what-is-pangasius-only-the-9th-most-consumed-fish-in-the-usa/

Yes, I know...once you've been to a Vietnamese catfish farm, you'll never touch catfish again...I've been to farms in the Mekong delta at least a dozen times...hated it. There was a period around 2002/2003 when the U.S. levied heavy tariffs on VN catfish...it hurt the farmers; and there was some anti-American backlash on their part.

Ferret, absolutel, the waiters have no idea...one really needs to speak to owners or managers or chefs ... truly they don't care much if they themselves even know what basa is. I thought the owners of Adelitas and Brew would definitely know what it is, but guess not.

ferret wrote:It's not only catfish... it's Vietnamese farmed catfish. It must be very cheap considering that Mexico has two oceans to fish from.
Sea Bass is Robalo.
The waiters are only repeating what they've been told.

Robalo isn't sea bass. Robalo is snook.

Clete wrote:

ferret wrote:It's not only catfish... it's Vietnamese farmed catfish. It must be very cheap considering that Mexico has two oceans to fish from.
Sea Bass is Robalo.
The waiters are only repeating what they've been told.

Robalo isn't sea bass. Robalo is snook.

It seems to depend entirely on which translation service you use or which fish store you trust. One thing for sure is that it's not mushy basa.
https://www.google.com.mx/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=1Ef6U7e6MsbK8geSnoCgBA&gws_rd=ssl#q=sea+bass+fish+in+spanish

The way basa is raised in Vietnam, I wouldn't eat it and don't. I always ask.

Some people refer to corvina as sea bass but I think it is a drum fish. Regardless it is a good eating fish.

ferret wrote:

Clete wrote:

ferret wrote:It's not only catfish... it's Vietnamese farmed catfish. It must be very cheap considering that Mexico has two oceans to fish from.
Sea Bass is Robalo.
The waiters are only repeating what they've been told.

Robalo isn't sea bass. Robalo is snook.

It seems to depend entirely on which translation service you use or which fish store you trust. One thing for sure is that it's not mushy basa.
https://www.google.com.mx/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=1Ef6U7e6MsbK8geSnoCgBA&gws_rd=ssl#q=sea+bass+fish+in+spanish

I have caught many, many robalo. So don't need a translator. Your link also mentions lubina and corvino so it can't even make up its mind.

That was exactly the point Clete.