Would a white butterfish work as well as salmon?

I think the most typical Vietnamese preparation would be with catfish, so Kristin's salmon was itself a culinary stretch.

(By the way--there are lots of different fish called butterfish. The one that Liza's Kitchen mentions is also as escolar or white tuna, and I suspect she guessed right that it was the one you meant. But that's the only one that bothers some digestive systems--I'd hate to sound an alarm on all the "butterfish.")

The sauce might take over a milder flavored fish. That doesn't mean it wouldn't work, but it would be very different. Bluefish would be a more similar substitute--or tuna.

Hi Melissa! You could likely substitute butterfish, but remember that there are some health risks associated with butterfish (you aren't supposed to eat more than 6 oz at a time because you can get keriorrhea). Other white flaky fishes would work well also, like halibut, tilapia, or snapper.