"NYLA" was named for New York where the restaurant located, and Louisiana, the home state of Britney Spears. The restaurant partly owned by the pop star, opened loudly on East 41st Street on June 26, 2002. It was staled to be called "Pinky's", Justin Timberlake's nickname for Britney. But since the breakup it was called "NYLA".
Britney created the restaurant's scripted logo, which was written in her own handwriting. The singer-turned-restaurateur has left her mark in nearly every aspect of the 140-person eatery. However "NYLA" was not a theme restaurant. While Britney's name and image hung in the air and on the lips of patrons, the restaurant bore no trace of her: there were no photos, platinum records or discarded costumes.
The pop star's restaurant occupied space previously taken by an upscale French restaurant, which vacated in fall 2001. Prior to "Virot", the space was taken by another restaurant called "Rx", which occupied the high-ceilinged space for a few months. Situated in the "Dylan", a boutique hotel in the Midtown building that once housed the "Chemists' Club", "NYLA" had to appeal to the sort of young moneyed traveler that the hotel hoped to attract, along with the fashion world trendsetters who wee ever ready to sneer at any place that did not meet their standards of hipness or exclusivity. It was a lounge, an alcohol environment, and their target was young executives from 25 to 40 years old. The owner of the "Dylan" and a partner in the restaurant, envisioned "NYLA" as "a place to see and be seen and all that good stuff".
Celebrity restaurateur Bobby Ochs managed "NYLA Ochs'" trademark and was running other celebrity restaurants such as Patrick Swayze's "Mulholland Drive Cafe" and pop duo Ashford & Simpson's "Twenty:Twenty". Ochs was part owner of "NYLA", though he would handle all of the restaurant's day-to-day operations.
The space was a relic of the days when 50-54 East 41 street housed the "Chemists Club", where members ostensibly congregated around the tall hearth located in the center of the room. Perched above this space was a balcony lounge area. Eventually, a catwalk rose up from below and connected this balcony with the ballroom. The designer of the space even created a landing for a DJ who played music after 11 p.m. A Greenwich-based architect had been hired to design the space, which featured a 14-foot diameter ceiling chandelier. "Haverson Architecture" company helped Britney shape her "look" for her eating spot in a theatrical, cozy atmosphere. The space was "theatrical" and "vivacious", encouraging people to interact. There was music but not loud. The atmosphere of the restaurant was alive. It had very high ceilings, massive fireplace and a balcony lounge. Local jewelry designer Mignon Faget was the only Louisiana retailer contributing baubles to the party packs, which contained $1,000 worth of free stuff. The designer donated 500 "Fleur de Lis" and oyster-shaped pendants valued together at $28,000. They wanted something to reflect Louisiana and New Orleans and her Louisiana heritage. The singer was instrumental in creating the restaurant's design and bright color scheme of pinks, reds and oranges.
Britney said in 2002, "I am so excited about NYLA. It is going to be a hip restaurant with a southern flair in the heart of New York City. What more can I ask for?"
The chef, Michael Perselay, was paying heed to Ms. Spears's Louisiana upbringing, had given a Southern inflection to dishes like duck and wild mushroom etouffee, lobster salad with fried green tomatoes, and grilled salmon with sauteed greens. For good measure, Mr. Perselay was preparing some of Ms. Spears's favorite dishes, including fried chicken and crab cakes, here with corn-and-chipotle mashed potatoes. They had dishes with a Cajun flair, fried okra, a fresh raspberry mojito, special burgers (with handcut fries and chipotle mayo), grilled salmon with Mississippi caviar and sauteed southern greens, southern fried chicken with potato, lobster salad, fried green tomatoes.
Britney's Favorite "NYLA" Menu
1. Louisiana Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes.
You will need:
- 900g/2lb jumbo lump crabmeat;
- large pinch of fresh tarragon;
- large pinch of fresh thyme, chopped;
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 75g/3oz mayonnaise;
- salt and pepper;
- 125g/4oz flour;
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten;
- 175g/6oz breadcrumbs;
- knob of butter;
Roll together the crabmeat, fresh herbs, garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper into 50g/2oz balls. Dredge the balls in flour and coat with the egg, using an egg brush. Cover each cake with breadcrumbs. Saute in butter until golden brown. Place in the oven for 5 minutes at 200F/400C/gas mark 6 to finish off. Serve with salad.
2. 
Red Velvet Cake
You will need:
- 125g/4oz butter;
- 350g/12oz sugar;
- 11/2 tsp. vanilla essence;
- 2 eggs;
- 3 level tbs. cocoa powder;
- pinch of salt;
- 4 tbs. red food colouring;
- 450g/1lb self-raising flour, sieved;
- 225g/8oz buttermilk;
- 1 tbs. white vinegar;
- 1 tsp. baking soda;
For the cream cheese icing:
- 225g/8oz butter;
- 225g/8oz cream cheese;
- 450g/1lb icing sugar;
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence;
Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until fluffy. Beat eggs into the mixture. Stir together the cocoa, salt and food colouring until it's a paste, then add to the butter, sugar and egg mixture. Add the flour and mix in, then add the buttermilk. Mix the vinegar and baking soda together, then add to mixture. Place in a 9- inch spring-form pan. Bake at 180F/350C/gas 4 for 30 mins. For the icing, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence and apply to cake.
3. French Quarter Lemonade
It's normally comprised of Bacardi, lemonade and cranberry juice. But of course Britney drank it without the "Bacardi", because she was 20 when the restaurant opened.
Britney might have guessed the project was doomed when the opening night in June was a washout, thanks to a torrential thunderstorm. Guests arriving at the restaurant were left looking like drowned rats as they hurried past waiting photographers. A-list invitations must have been lost in the post because the best known of those who took a turn on the red carpet were David Copperfield, pop star Debbie Gibson and Nikki Hilton.
Restaurants are always a popular sideline for celebrities. Both Justin Timberlake and Ashton Kutcher have been involved in a very successfull ventures in Los Angeles. Robert De Niro's "Tribeca Gill" is in New York City institution. "NYLA", however was getting off to the worst possible start, with the opening party being dubbed the worst of the year in the media. When Britney stopped to talk to reporters on that first night, she had said that the restaurant was going to be her "hangout place".
Sometimes the idea that a celebrity may be at the next table can rescue a place, but in "NYLA's" case Britney was the invisible woman. She rarely came in. People only saw her twice. Many people were calling all day. Little girls were calling to speak to her and old men as well. After a while Jodi Wasserman, who dealt with front desk phones and bookings, started to pretend being Britney because the calls were so often.
The restaurant was large and colorful, set on two floors and staffed by waitresses chosen for a feeling resemblance to Britney Spears. The decor was not a problem. The food was not good. It began as a Southern restaurant serving catfish and other Cajun favourites. It was serving meals you might get in a diner in Louisiana but charging fancy New York prices. Jodie remembers evenings when there were 10 people spread across two floors. It was a disaster.
"NYLA" underwent a menu overhaul, and some of the eatery's original chefs also left the restaurant. The menu, however, wasn't the only problem. In September, the city cited the restaurant for several minor health-code violations. And according to court documents, three companies say they are owed more than $25,000 for goods sold to "NYLA", including dairy products, lobster and dinnerware. Previous dishes, along with meals like vegetarian hominy stew and Southern sushi, were dumped in favor of more traditional Italian dishes. Food critics, however, said the changes came too late to save "NYLA's" credibility among finicky New Yorkers.
After 5 months in the business Britney Spears has pulled out of "NYLA". In a statement she said that she has "terminated her relationship" with the restaurant she formed a partnership with in March of 2002, because of mismanagement and "management's failure to keep her fully apprised".
Spears' decision came amid an involuntary petition of bankruptcy that was filed against "Pinky Enterprises LLC", which run Spears' restaurant. In the petition, three vendors, "Dairyland USA Corp.", "Ocean Clear Inc." and "Sam Tell & Son Inc.", alleged they had not been paid more than $25,000. The petition was filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
The restaurant was plagued by lousy reviews and slow business. Spears said, "I wish the restaurant and its current ownership continued success", adding that she had no involvement in "NYLA's" day-to-day affairs, and never earned any money or other benefits from it.
It was reported that the restaurant was $350,000 over budget on opening day, a customer was stabbed outside, five staff were given the sack, three cases of food poisoning have been reported and the New York City Health Department was on the case. Cited for having rusty cans and not displaying the Food Protection Certificate, "NYLA" was accused of "contaminating" the Johnnie Walker whisky with fruit. The bailiffs were said to be furious they couldn't issue a summons, and lawyers were threatening to hold the restaurant in contempt of court.
The "NYLA" experiment was a rare example of a Britney brand mistake.
