KUMKAPI, a Turkish restaurant that opened in Hewlett in December, is named for a section of Istanbul known for its fish restaurants. Remember that when you order: Seafood is definitely the way to go here.

The restaurant’s owner, Mike Sarac, is originally from Istanbul. He came to Long Island from California in 2001 and opened five Turkish restaurants in the next eight years; Kumkapi is the only one he owns now.

The Hewlett newcomer is a large double storefront with a handsome bar near the entrance. Beyond that is the main dining room, with a second room open on busy nights.

That overflow room — spacious, with wood floors and peach-colored walls — is where our party was seated on my first visit, on a Saturday. Service was frenetic that night, with waiters rushing in all directions. It was hard to flag one down to get more bread or refills for our drinks.

A midweek meal, when only the main dining room was open, was quiet, and servers were attentive. Tables in both rooms are bare wood with paper placemats and cloth napkins; the art on the walls was a little more interesting in the main room.

The first food to arrive was auspicious: warm Turkish bread and a savory spread — white bean one night, lima another.

It’s smart to order an array of appetizers to go with the bread, which is delicious. Our two favorites were the very tender grilled octopus and the eggplant delight, a chunky mix with peppers and red onion in a fresh tomato-garlic sauce. We also liked the refreshing shepherd salad of cubed tomato, cucumber, onion and herbs, as well as the ezme salad, a fiery spread of minced tomato, peppers, onions and garlic.

The baba ghanouj was bland, not smoky as it should be. Skip the taramosalata, the saltiest version of this caviar spread that I’ve ever tasted.

The whole branzino and the whole dorado were both chargrilled, tasty and flaky; another good choice was the fillet of grilled brook trout topped with olive oil, garlic, parsley and lemon juice.

The meats were very disappointing. Baby lamb chops, usually a winner at Turkish restaurants, were cooked until gray; the kofte, patties of ground beef and lamb, were just as dry.

All the entrees arrived with the same accompaniments: a tasty orange-hued rice pilaf and sautéed julienne red and green cabbage flecked with grated carrot.

One evening I tried one of the restaurant’s specialties, manti, small dumplings stuffed with ground beef, in a garlic yogurt sauce. They were tender, savory and tangy from their sauce.

Desserts, like the rest of the meal, were a mixed bag. The baklava was light and not overly sweet. Something called “chef’s special apple pastry” also hit the spot; it contained raisins and walnuts along with the apples and was topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

But a serving of caramelized milk pudding, two long slabs of it, was bland and rubbery. You should also skip the profiteroles, miniature cream puffs filled with custard and enrobed in chocolate. They were mainly dull choux pastry with very little filling.

Kumkapi is not a destination restaurant, but if you stick to the appetizers and the fish and skip the overcooked meats, you can have a satisfying meal. I’d eat here again if I was in the neighborhood.

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Kumkapi

1230 Broadway

Hewlett

(516) 812-3920

kumkapirestaurant.com

O.K.

THE SPACE Turkish seafood restaurant in spacious double storefront. Wheelchair accessible.

THE CROWD Casual, with lots of big groups and some children. The staff was amiable but frenetic on a busy weekend night.

THE BAR A handsome, mirror-backed, dark wood bar with eight stools. International list of 21 wines ($18 to $49), including five Turkish selections. Six wines by the glass ($6).

THE BILL Lunch entrees, $6.50 to $12.50. Dinner entrees, $14.50 (manti) to $24.50 (surf and turf); most are in the teens. Prices are typical for Turkish restaurants on Long Island. American Express, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

WHAT WE LIKED Bread, eggplant delight, ezme salad, grilled octopus, manti, dorado, branzino, brook trout, baklava, apple pastry.

IF YOU GO Open Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations needed on weekends.

RATINGS Don’t Miss, Worth It, O.K., Don’t Bother.