Plaice and Sole for Restaurant and Hotel Kitchens
Plaice and sole are the two flatfish in our fish catalogue, and we supply them mainly for restaurants and hotels. They sit on the same page of most menus, yet they behave very differently in the pan, and a chef or a purchasing manager usually knows exactly which one a dish needs. This page sets out how the two compare, the states in which we supply them, how fresh and frozen consignments are packed and shipped from Scotland, and which details to agree before a first order. For the rest of the white-fish range, see haddock and cod and the full fish range.
Two flatfish, two kinds of dish
Flatfish start life swimming upright like any other fish. As they grow, one eye migrates across the head and the fish settles on its side on the seabed, with a dark upper side and a pale underside. The North Sea and the waters around Scotland are traditional grounds for several of these species.
Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) is easy to recognise by the bright orange spots on its brown upper side. Its flesh is white, soft and mild, with a delicate flake. It suits gentle cooking: pan-frying, grilling, baking with butter and herbs, or coating in light batter or breadcrumbs. Because it is tender, plaice is forgiving for a busy kitchen but needs careful handling once cooked.
Sole, in European kitchens, usually means the common or Dover sole (Solea solea). Its flesh is firmer and denser, it holds together well, and it has a sweet, rich flavour that has made it a classic of formal dining, from sole meunière to fillets rolled and poached in sauce. In the United Kingdom the name is also used for lemon sole (Microstomus kitt), which belongs to a different family and is closer in texture to plaice. Because the names overlap, the exact species supplied against your order is always named in the offer.
| Plaice | Dover (common) sole | Lemon sole | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pleuronectes platessa | Solea solea | Microstomus kitt |
| Family | Pleuronectidae | Soleidae | Pleuronectidae |
| Recognised by | Orange spots on a brown upper side | Elongated oval body, small head | Smooth skin, small mouth, mottled colour |
| Texture once cooked | Soft, fine flake | Firm, dense, holds its shape | Tender, between plaice and Dover sole |
| Typical kitchen use | Pan-fried, grilled, battered or crumbed | Meunière, grilled whole, rolled and poached fillets | Pan-fried or grilled fillets |
The table describes the species in general. It is a guide for menu planning, not a statement of what is in stock on a given day.
What we supply
We prepare plaice and sole for professional kitchens, with fillets as the usual form for restaurants and hotels. Both are available in the two states that run through our whole fish catalogue:
- Fresh, held at +2 °C and packed on ice.
- Frozen, individually quick frozen (IQF) at −18 °C or −25 °C.
Sizes are not listed on the website. Tell us the size grade, whether you want fillets skin-on or skinless, and how many portions or kilograms you use in a week, and we will match the specification request to the product.
Fresh: on ice, by air
Fresh plaice and sole are packed in insulated EPS boxes with ice, in 6, 10 or 20 kg cases. The smaller box suits a single restaurant that wants to open one case per service and keep the rest closed and cold. The larger sizes suit hotel groups and foodservice distributors who break cases down at their own depot.
Fresh fish departs the same or next day by air cargo from Edinburgh and Glasgow, to the UAE and the wider Middle East, to Asia and to the USA. A temperature data logger travels with every air shipment and records conditions throughout the journey, so the receiving kitchen can check the cold chain rather than take it on trust. The minimum order for fresh fish by air is one pallet, around 500 kg to 1 tonne.
Frozen: consistency for a fixed menu
For hotels with set menus, banqueting and outlets far from the coast, frozen fillets often make more sense than fresh. IQF freezing keeps each fillet separate, so the kitchen can take out exactly the number it needs and leave the rest at temperature. Our frozen fish is IQF, sealed in vacuum inner packs and boxed in master cartons, and our cold stores hold frozen goods at −25 °C before dispatch.
Frozen plaice and sole travel in two ways:
- By sea in reefer containers from Leith or Grangemouth. The minimum is one reefer container of around 12 to 26 tonnes.
- By road across Europe by temperature-controlled road transport, for buyers in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany.
Private label is available for retail chains that want plaice or sole under their own brand.
Why kitchens choose fillets
Whole flatfish make a fine plate, but they take skill and time to fillet and leave a good share of the weight as frame and skin. For a restaurant or hotel, ready fillets mean predictable yield, faster service and an easier costing per portion. They also reduce waste handling in kitchens with limited space. Whole fish still has its place for dishes such as grilled Dover sole served on the bone; if a dish needs it, say so in your specification request and the offer will state what can be supplied.
Receiving and handling in your kitchen
A good delivery can still be spoiled in the last few metres. A few general points apply to any chilled or frozen flatfish:
- Check the logger reading or delivery note on arrival, and move fresh boxes straight into the chiller.
- Keep fresh fillets covered and on ice or in the coldest part of the chiller, and use them in order of arrival.
- Thaw frozen fillets slowly in the refrigerator, never at room temperature, and do not refreeze them.
- Pat fillets dry before cooking; plaice in particular releases moisture and browns better when dry.
Documents, quality and payment
Every order can travel with a health certificate and a certificate of origin, and we follow customs clearance through to arrival. If you want eyes on the fillets before they leave, book a pre-shipment check by SGS or a similar independent body, or send your own representative. Flatfish for export is prepared in a Scottish plant approved under UK/EC rules for processing and freezing, and our food safety framework rests on HACCP, BRCGS Food Safety at Grade A, ISO 22000 and Halal certification. MSC and ASC apply only to the product groups they cover, and the offer states what applies to your order. On payment, orders are settled with a 30% T/T advance and the 70% balance against a copy of the bill of lading; larger programmes can run on an irrevocable letter of credit at sight.
Who we supply
Our flatfish go to restaurants, hotels and foodservice distributors in the GCC (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait), the European Union, Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore) and North America. Gulf orders are coordinated from our Dubai office, which handles operations, finance and distribution in the region, while sourcing, processing, packing and quality control take place in Scotland.
How to order
- Email info@sultanrashid.com with the species, fresh or frozen, the cut and size grade, the volume and the destination.
- We reply with a written offer and the current specification.
- Confirm the order, the documents you need and any pre-shipment inspection.
- After the advance payment, the goods are packed, documented and dispatched.
Frequently asked questions
Which kitchens do you supply plaice and sole to?
Mainly restaurants and hotels, as well as the foodservice distributors who serve them.
Is sole on your offer Dover sole or lemon sole?
The two names are often confused, so the exact species supplied against your order is named in the offer.
How is fresh plaice and sole packed?
In insulated EPS boxes with ice, in 6, 10 or 20 kg cases, with a temperature data logger on air shipments.
How quickly does fresh fish leave Scotland?
Once packed, fresh plaice and sole leave Scotland the same or next day by air cargo from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
What is the minimum order?
One pallet of around 500 kg to 1 tonne for fresh fish by air, and one reefer container of around 12 to 26 tonnes for frozen fish by sea.