On Food: Branzino is convenient and popular menu item, even if chefs can’t agree on its name

Branzino has become the fish of the moment, if not the fish of the day, across the country. The name sounds vaguely exotic and clearly Mediterranean. The fish comes in a convenient size, around two to three pounds, so it can be served roasted whole on the bone, boned and stuffed, or in fillets.

But what exactly is a branzino? Fish nomenclature can be quite confusing—as with Alaskan black cod, or sablefish, and hamachi, or yellowtail—and branzino is no exception.

Branzino is