Cmasi · CC BY-SA 4.0Milanesa de surubí
Breaded, fried surubí fillets: the perfect introduction to river fish.
What it is
Surubí fillets are dipped in egg seasoned with garlic and parsley, then in breadcrumbs, and fried until golden. The fish’s firm flesh holds up well to frying and stays juicy inside. It comes with cassava, salad, rice or mashed potatoes and a wedge of lemon. It is the usual recommendation for anyone wary of river fish for fear of bones.
Ingredients
History
The milanesa arrived with Italian immigration in the late 19th century and became an everyday dish in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay; the surubí version is the riverside take on that classic. In Pilar it is one of the dishes travelers recommend most.
Did you know…?
Order it with fried cassava and you have the Paraguayan riverside table on a single plate.
When
Lunch or dinner, outside the fishing ban.
Where
Pilar and Ayolas; fish restaurants in Asunción.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.