Last week I wrote about a great new Italian restaurant in Sandy called Scelto. This week, we’re heading north to Davis County for seafood and more at Farmington’s Station Park. 

The newest dining addition at Station Park is WildFin American Grill, a contemporary restaurant with a focus on fish and seafood, but with much more to offer than just things that swim. It’s in the location that previously housed Niño Viejo Mexican eatery and bar. Much of what is served at WildFin is sourced from the Pacific Northwest, which isn’t surprising given that there are four WildFin locations in Washington, one in Oregon, and now two in Utah: Riverton and Farmington. The folks at Wildfin say that they feature “local and regional selections that reflect organic and sustainable sourcing; our menus offer fresh Pacific Northwest meats, fish, seafood, and produce. From the bar, we highlight the best of the region’s beers and wine, along with WildFin classic cocktails.”

Regarding seafood sustainability, they say “At WildFin we are committed to serving only sustainable seafood by partnering with programs such as the James Beard Foundation Smart Catch program and the Monterey Bay Aquarium – as a certified leader in the Smart Catch program we are proud to play a part in the sustainability of our seafood resources and preserving our oceans for future generations.” All of which sounds great, but how’s the food? Read on.

Pacific Manila Clams

Getting acquainted with the extensive menu can take a bit of time; there are a lot of options coming out of Chef Jason Hammett’s busy kitchen. I counted 17 starters alone on the current Farmington WildFin menu, ranging from Street Tacos (3 for $15.95) and Smoked Salmon Dip ($16.95) to French Onion Soup ($11.95), Beets & Burrata salad ($15.95), Heber Valley Cheddar Fondue ($16.50), and the WildFin Appetizer Tower ($31.95) which features Garlic Prawns, Calamari, and Smoked Salmon Dip. I rarely pass up clams when I see them on a restaurant menu, so at a recent family meal we shared a bowl of steamed Pacific Manila Clams ($18.95), served in a large bowl with Tooele Valley andouille sausage and shaved fennel, bathed in a heavenly butter-herb broth and served with a potato rosemary batard alongside for soaking up that bodacious broth. An excellent start to what would turn out to be a very good meal. 

WildFin features an adults only bar area with a special happy hour menu (3-6 pm and 9 pm to close) and I was happy to see that the bar stocks Utah whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, and locally brewed beers for guests to enjoy a taste of The Beehive State. 

Garlic Prawns

A great nosh – if a bit messy – at the bar would be WildFin’s Garlic Prawns ($17.50) – a generous serving of natural, jumbo Pacific white prawns with a creamy sauce of garlic, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and soft croutons.

Fish and Chips

Comfort food dishes at WildFin include Shrimp and Grits ($28.50), Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo ($29.95), Shepherd’s Pie ($23.95) Beef Sliders (3 for $16.50) and, of course, “All In” Fish and Chips ($22.95 at lunch/$28.95 for dinner). This was a pair of Uinta 801 Pilsner-battered pieces of fish served with fries, Fowers Fruit Ranch Fuji apple and jicama slaw, and tartar sauce. 23 bucks for two not-so-large pieces of fish at lunch did indeed seem “All In.” But then, so did being charged $4.50 for a fountain soda.  

Parmesan-Crusted Sole

A much better value, I felt, was my order of Parmesan-Crusted Sole ($21.95/lunch; $26.95/dinner), which was generously portioned Oregon Coast Dover Sole fillets coated with Parmesan-pepita breadcrumbs, fried, and served with Bob’s Red Mill organic farro risotto, fried capers and butter sauce. There is no shortage of fish selections on the WildFin menu and they include pan-seared Pink Snapper ($31.95), Miso Black Cod ($32.95), Trout Dijon ($24.95), King Salmon ($38.95), Prawn Scampi ($29.95), Alaskan Sockeye Salmon ($29.95), a fresh catch of the day, and more. 

Cajun Fish Street Tacos

My wife very much enjoyed her order of Cajun Seared Fish Street Tacos ($17.95) from WildFin’s lunch menu, and appreciated that it could be prepared gluten free. It was a quartet of small, street-style tacos: a choice of corn or flour tortillas with seared fish, avocado-tomatillo salsa, fresh cilantro, jalapeño aioli, homemade tortilla chips, lime wedges, and jicama slaw. 

Smoked Trout BLT

The lunch menu at WildFin also features sandwiches and burgers, including Pork Banh Mi ($18.95), Grilled Ribeye ($24.95), Smoked Turkey Club ($18.95), Double Dipped Fried Chicken ($17.95), French Dip ($20.95), and the Smoked Trout BLT ($18.95) that my stepson ordered. It was a stacked sandwich of alder smoked Idaho trout with bacon, arugula, tomato, and Champagne vinaigrette dressing on rustic bread, served with fries. 

Superfood House Salad

The vegan at our table was thrilled by enjoyed WildFin’s Superfood House Salad ($10.95), a heaping plate of organic Tuscan kale, honey-roasted sweet potato, pumpkin seeds, cauliflower organic farro and quinoa, garbanzos, radish, Fowers Fruit Ranch Fuji apple slices, walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette. Non-vegans can choose to add a protein to their salad for an upcharge. 

Kudos to WildFin for using and supporting local Utah growers, artisans, distillers, brewers and such. A back wall near the kitchen lists a number of such purveyors, including Tooele Valley Meat, Wonderland Mushroom Co, Roosters Brewing, Sugar House Distillery, Star Mountain Coffee Roasters, Moab Brewery, Heber Valley Cheese, Slide Ridge Farms, Great Lakes Cheese, Bangerter Farms, and many more. Thank you, WildFin, for supporting local producers. 

Although prices are a bit steep – especially at dinner – WildFin is an overall welcome addition to the burgeoning Davis County dining scene, and one of the few spots north of SLC specializing in seafood that isn’t sushi. Service was excellent and friendly and the design of WildFin is very inviting and appealing to the eye. I’m looking forward to spring when I can enjoy the restaurant’s outdoor patio. 

Photos by Ted Scheffler

Culinary quote of the week: “The only kind of seafood I trust is the fish stick, a totally featureless fish that doesn’t have eyeballs or fins.” Dave Barry