Nothing else says summer dining in the Hamptons like fresh, local seafood! As the season is now in full swing, catches from the local waters are popping up not only on restaurant menus but also for home cooked meals. KDHamptons heads straight to the top SEAFOOD EXPERT of the East End, Colin Mather, owner of iconic seafood mecca, The Seafood Shop in Wainscott, to score some fish & tips. A Hampton’s native, Colin has been earning his seafood expert status for over 15 years, starting as an apprentice fishmonger and protégé for then founder and original Seafood Shop owner, the late John Haessler and then took over in 2000.

The Seafood Shop attracts countless A-List clientele, from investment bankers to local fishermen, world renowned chefs to mega home builders, along with the regular cadre of celebrities including Jimmy Fallon, Katy Perry, Richard Gere, Jimmy Buffet, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Ina Garten, Alec Baldwin and Matt Lauer.

Here are Colin’s inside tips for the 2014 Seafood season:
* July 1st kicked off commercial Striped Bass season and already it is hot item.

* Soft shell crabs are flying out of the fish case this season and seem to be landing on everyone’s dinner party menus!

* We are selling tons of lobsters out of the tanks this summer both cooked and raw.

* For those who are looking for a prepared dinner a hot menu item this season is the Seafood Paella.

* Despite the heat of summer, the chowders and soups are still going out by the quart.

* The clambakes and BBQ’s are more popular than ever. 24 fully catered parties were completed from Thursday to Saturday, despite the very poor weather on Friday 7/4.

* Raw Bars seem to be quite the popular add on to make people’s Summer soire’s complete.

* Porgies are living up to their culinary billing as “fish of the year.” We haven’t seen so many go out the front door to people’s kitchens.

Location: The Seafood Shop
356 Montauk Hwy
Wainscott NY 1197
http://theseafoodshop.com
(631) 537-0633