Eating Around: Looking for Smoked Sprats?

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CHEF ERIC EVANS may have moved on from the Petworth cafe W Domku, but customers can still find Eastern European-flavored dishes such as gravlax and smoked sprats on the menu. After the eating and drinking binge that often accompanies the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's, these flavorful appetizers allow diners to try something new or unusual without splurging on calories or fat.

Scandinavian gravlax ($7.50) served with rye crisps, finely minced red onion, salmon caviar, dill, gherkins and a dollop of mustard is a refreshing snack that's less fishy than salmon lox. Gravlax is also available on a bed of greens with pine nuts, with tomatoes and red onion ($8), and on brown bread with dill, salmon roe and mustard ($5).

Latvian sprats ($5), a type of herring and similar in flavor to sardines, are also served with a selection of pickles, onion and other condiments.

Though neither the gravlax dishes nor the sprats appetizer is large enough to fill up a hungry diner, they're satisfying as well as light, since the condiments allow customers a range of flavors, from the freshness of roe to the sharpness of onion, on a relatively small plate.

» W Domku, 821 Upshur St. NW; 202-722-7475 (Georgia Ave.-Petworth)

Photo and story by Express contributor Melissa McCart.