Brill Fish In Spanish | What Spanish Shoppers Know

The Spanish word for brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) is “rémol,” a flatfish prized in northern Spain for its sweet.

You walk past a display of white flatfish in a Spanish market. One looks nearly identical to the turbot you loved in Madrid last year, but the price tag tells a different story. You ask for rodaballo, the only word you know. The fishmonger corrects you — what you’re pointing at is brill, a cousin with its own distinct name and character.

Brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) belongs to the same flatfish family as turbot, but it’s a different species with its own Spanish market name. That name is rémol — a masculine noun that appears on menus from Galicia to the Basque coast. Getting it right saves you from paying turbot prices for a less expensive fish and helps you order with confidence whether you’re shopping or dining out.

What Is Brill, Exactly?

Brill is a flatfish found across the northeast Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea. It prefers deeper offshore waters than its turbot cousin, which partly explains why it’s less familiar to casual fish buyers. The species Scophthalmus rhombus is commercially important in northern Spain, where it’s a regular feature on seasonal menus.

The fish grows to a modest size of 40 to 60 centimeters, with a diamond-shaped body covered in small, smooth scales. Its dark brown or grey upper side helps it blend into the sandy seafloor where it hunts prawns and crabs — a diet that gives the meat its characteristic sweetness.

A Close Cousin To Turbot

Brill and turbot share the Scophthalmidae family, and they look similar enough to cause confusion. The easiest visual difference: turbot has larger, more pronounced bony bumps on its dark side, while brill’s texture is smoother. The flavor is subtly different too — many chefs describe brill as slightly sweeter and more delicate, with a flakier texture.

Why The Name Confusion Sticks

The confusion starts with the dictionary. Search for “brill” in Spanish, and some sources list rodaballo — which is actually the Spanish word for turbot, a different species. This overlap creates real problems when you’re trying to buy the right fish or understand a menu in a Spanish restaurant.

• Rodaballo means turbot: In most of Spain, rodaballo refers specifically to turbot (Scophthalmus maxima), the pricier, bumpier flatfish. Using it for brill is linguistically imprecise and can confuse the person selling you the fish.
• Rémol is the precise word: WordReference and Linguee both confirm rémol as the Spanish translation for brill. It’s a masculine noun — el rémol — and it’s the term Spanish fishmongers expect when you ask for this fish.
• Regional usage varies: In Galicia, Asturias, and the Basque country, where flatfish are a staple, rémol is well-understood. In other parts of Spain, you may need to point at the fish and confirm the price.
• American brill is a different fish: The fish sold as “brill” in United States markets is actually petrale sole (Eopsetta jordani), a Pacific flatfish. A Spanish speaker in the U.S. would encounter a completely different species under the same English name.
• Restaurant menus blur the line: Some Spanish restaurants list rémol on the menu, while others use rodaballo as a catch-all for flatfish. When in doubt, ask the waiter which species they’re serving before you order.

The lesson for shoppers and travelers: remember rémol for brill, keep rodaballo for turbot, and always look at the fish if you can. The visual difference between the smoother brill and the bumpier turbot saves you from paying the wrong price.

Rémol, Rodaballo, Or Petrale Sole?

The name you need depends entirely on where you’re standing. In Spain, especially along the northern coast from Galicia to the Basque country, rémol is the correct term for brill. In the United States, the same English word points to a different species entirely — petrale sole — which brill in the united states calls by its official Pacific name.

This dual identity creates a real challenge for shoppers and cooks. A recipe, a market sign, or a menu that says “brill” could reference either fish, depending on whether the fish came from the Atlantic or the Pacific. Atlantic brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) and Pacific brill (Eopsetta jordani) share a similar texture but have different habitats, different diets, and slightly different fat contents.

If you’re shopping in a Spanish market, ask for rémol and confirm you want the Atlantic flatfish rather than an imported Pacific alternative. A knowledgeable fishmonger will know the difference immediately and can help you choose the freshest local catch.

Knowing these regional names prevents the kind of mix-up that gets you a different fish entirely. When travel guides or recipes use “brill” without specifying origin, the context — Atlantic versus Pacific — tells you which fish they mean.

How To Choose Brill At The Market

Whether you’re buying rémol in a Spanish market or petrale sole in a California fish shop, the same freshness signs apply across species. A quality flatfish looks and smells like the sea, not like old fish oil.

1. Check the eyes: Clear, bright, and slightly bulging eyes signal a fresh catch. Cloudy or sunken eyes are the first sign the fish is past its prime.
2. Smell the gills: Fresh brill has a clean, briny scent. Any ammonia-like or sour odor means you should pass on that fish.
3. Press the flesh: The fillet should spring back when you press it gently. A dent that stays means the fish has been sitting too long.
4. Look at the skin: The dark upper side should be moist and vibrant, not dull or slimy. The white underside should be clean, not yellowish.
5. Ask about origin: Atlantic rémol and Pacific petrale sole have different flavor profiles. If a recipe calls for European brill, confirm you’re getting the right species.

Most fishmongers sell brill as whole fish or as fillets. Fillets are typically skinned and deboned, which saves prep time but loses the option to cook on the bone — a method many Spanish chefs prefer for smaller fish to keep the meat moist.

Cooking Brill The Spanish Way

Brill’s sweet, firm white flesh holds up well to simple preparations. Spanish coastal cooking tends to treat it like turbot: a hot pan, good olive oil, and minimal interference. The goal is to let the natural sweetness of the fish come through.

To pan-fry rémol fillets, season them with salt and pepper, then lay them skin-side down in hot oil. Add a knob of butter for color and richness. The fillets cook in about two to three minutes per side, depending on thickness. The result is a golden crust with tender, flaky flesh underneath.

Per the brill fish in spanish entry, the Atlantic species has a diet of prawns and crabs that gives the meat a naturally sweet flavor. It needs little more than lemon, fresh herbs, or a simple sauce to make a memorable meal.

A classic approach is to serve brill with a light vinaigrette or a sauce made from browned butter, capers, parsley, and lemon — similar to the French Grenobloise sauce that pairs naturally with flatfish. Sorrel is another traditional accompaniment that cuts through the fish’s richness.

The Bottom Line

Brill offers a more affordable entry into the world of premium flatfish, with a flavor and texture that rivals turbot at a gentler price point. The key is knowing the local name — rémol in Spain, petrale sole in the U.S. — so you buy the right species for your recipe and avoid paying turbot prices for a different fish.

If you’re planning to cook rémol for the first time, a Spanish chef or a Basque-country cooking class can walk you through the regional preparations that make this flatfish a highlight on northern Spanish tables.