Louisiana-style king cakes get a sprinkling of sugar dyed in the traditional Mardi Gras colors.

Best Bites blog received a request last week: “Can you tell me where I can get a king cake in Washington?” Of course we can, but first a clarification: All king cakes are not created equal. Associated across various cultures with the celebration of both the birth of Jesus and of Mardi Gras, the cakes vary from region to region. There’s the French version—an almond-paste-filled puff pastry known as galette des rois (usually available only through the end of January). Then there’s the ring-shaped king cake eaten down in Louisiana around Mardi Gras time, a cinnamon-laced, brioche-style iced confection decorated in green, purple, and yellow sugar. Traditionally a porcelain or plastic baby was baked into the king cake; it was considered lucky to find it in one’s slice. These days, this is rarely done at commercial bakeries due to choking hazards, but many cakes do come with a baby on the side.

Here’s where you can currently find king cakes around Washington. 

The omnivore's dilemma, indeed. Would Michael Pollan eat squirrel? Photograph courtesy of Alia Malley

Todd Kliman, food and wine editor

• Mmmm, just what I want to dig into on a cold, winter day: ash, the new It ingredient. And not just ash—artisanal ash! Key Ingredient: Ash 

• Crunchy-trendy types think eating local is all about cheeses and chickens from local farms. This Seattle woman has a more traditional notion of local—one that Michael Pollan and others might turn up their freshly exfoliated noses at, but which speaks right to the heart of what they so high-mindedly champion. I can almost taste her risotto di rodentia now: Eastern gray squirrel braised in Lopez Island white wine, with mushrooms and rice. Dinner gets very local for squirrel-eating Seattleite

We taste-tested value sparkling wines so you don't have to. Happy New Year. Photograph by Kyle Gustafson.

1) If you haven’t nailed down dinner, OpenTable has a list of restaurants that still have reservations available on the 31st, and it’s surprisingly long and full of good spots.

2) Here on the Best Bites blog, we’ve been following availabilities at special New Year’s Eve feasts around town. Last we checked, there were still spaces at these 38 eateries.

3) Oh, and we also taste-tested a bunch of sparkling wines for you. All of them are available locally and cost less than $25. Some of them are pretty tasty—including the $9 bottle.

Eggs Benedict is just the beginning. There's a brunch for every need this New Year's day.

If you’re headed to brunch on New Year’s day, chances are you’re a) wildly hungover, b) mildly hungover, or c) sober as a minister but accompanied by hungover people. Fortunately, Washington-area restaurants have New Year’s Day brunches designed for d) all of the above. We’ve assembled a guide to the best of these below, and heartily suggest you make reservations whenever it’s possible and call ahead to check on wait times whenever it’s not. Happy New Year!

Some early-evening openings remain at CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Photograph by Kathryn Norwood.

Adour
Seating(s): Tables are still available at 5:30 and 6 PM.
Price: The first three seatings are $120 a person; the second three are $195. There’s also a $60 children’s menu.
Selling point: Well, we like it. Adour received three stars in this magazine’s 100 Best Restaurants list.
Etc.: Call 202-509-8000 to reserve.

America Eats Tavern
Seating(s): 5 and 8:30 PM
Price: The 5 o’clock seating costs $75 a head; the second seating is $150.
Selling point: Who knows if José Andrés’s buzzy pop-up celebrating America’s food heritage will even be here next year? (Andrés recently announced it would continue operating through July 4, at least.) Also, there’s dancing.
Etc.: Call 202-393-0812 for reservations; check out the full menu here.

Ardeo + Bardeo
Seating(s): A smattering of tables are free throughout the evening.
Price: $65 for the four-course menu. An à-la-carte dinner menu is available before 7:30.
Selling point: Relaxation. At Ashok Bajaj’s adjoined Cleveland Park eateries, a New Year’s Eve dinner will still feel like a special occasion, but in a nice, neighborhood way.
Etc: Call 202-244-6750 to reserve.

Art and Soul
Seating(s): 5:30 to 7 and 7:30 PM are still open.
Price: The first seating costs $75; the second costs $85.
Selling Point: Free Champagne toast and party favors.
Etc.: Call the restaurant at 202-393-7777. A valid credit card will be required to secure your reservation.

For a no-frills New Year's, head to Boundary Stone in Bloomingdale. Photograph courtesy Boundary Stone

Smug as the expression may seem, there’s a reason New Year’s Eve is often referred to as “amateur night”: Things get kinda crazy. One way to handle the insanity is to wait things out at home, but think about it this way, sane citizen of the drinking universe: With the possible exception of St. Patty’s Day, New Year’s Eve is when you and your kind are needed more than ever. So, better to venture forth in the early evening and claim a stool or table at one of these bars and restaurants, all of which are taking a low-key, no-frills approach on the 31st. Sure, some of them may get crowded, but since none charge an entrance fee, you’re free to wander at your leisure.

Value sparkling wines can make or break a New Year's party. Photograph by Kyle Gustafson.

Conventional wine-world wisdom has it that the best way to discover new bottles is to head to a good vino emporium and ask the pros. With New Year’s Eve upon us, the Best Bites Blog imbibing panel put this approach to the test, soliciting staffers at some of our favorite local beverage boutiques for 11 effervescents between $9 and $23, then taste-testing the recommendations. Read on for the results.

NV Domaine du Vissoux Crémant de Bourgogne Brut ($22.99)

Balanced, and delicately bubbled, but with little to brag about in the way of finish, this sparkling wine struck our tasters as perfectly adequate, if not inspiring. “It would be fantastic in a mimosa” was one panelist’s verbal shrug.

2008 Domaine Albert Mann Crémant d’Alsace ($21.99) 

Sippers found few flaws with this white blend from Alsace—a sophisticated wine, particularly at this price point. It was our third favorite of the group.