Grilled octopus is one of those high risk, high reward foods. At its best, it can be transcendent — crunchy on the outside and meaty on the inside. Good octopus will have a bit of chew to it, like al dente pasta. But badly cooked octopus is like eating a rubber tire: you could gnaw on it for days and still not break down the tough muscles and connective tissues.

The naming contest for the National Zoo’s new octopus has at last come to a close, and the already popular cephalopod has been officially dubbed ‘Octavius.’ Zoo fans chose from a set of four possible names, including Olympus, Ceph, and Vancouver, but Octavius was ultimately the winner. Zoo officials announced the name via the Octopus Cam shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. We dig the choice. Here’s how the Zoo described the rationale behind…

Photo by Mehgan Murphy, courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo You can tell the Smithsonian’s National Zoo has been looking for ways to gin up interest in its non-panda animals ever since Butterstick was shipped back to China. The zoo’s latest naming contest, for its brand new Giant Pacific Octopus, is just one such example. Still, octopi are inarguably cool, so let’s make sure he gets a decent name. Click here to access the online ballot,…