Certainly, the dish itself has been--banished from the menu of the popster's fledgling New York City restaurant, amid a would-be image makeover and behind-the-scenes shakeup.

To be sure, all is not cooking at Nyla, Spears' virgin foray into chow biz.

The Manhattan eatery opened in June, billed as a "hip restaurant with a Southern flair" (hence, the okra). If Brit's antsy creditors are any sign, Nyla is now a struggling restaurant...with spaghetti.

The menu makeover, from vegetarian hominy stew to tomato sauce, comes after the departure of Spears' original consulting chefs, as well that of partner Bobby Ochs, the impresario who previously helped launch the culinary careers of Marla Maples (Peaches) and Patrick Swayze (Mulholland Drive).

It also comes as three Nyla food suppliers have gone to court to force the joint into Chapter 7 bankruptcy on account of $25,000-plus in unpaid bills for seafood and dairy goodies and equipment supplies. (The petition, naming Spears' Pinky Enterprises, is posted in all its glory on The Smoking Gun.)

A call seeking comment from a Nyla rep was not returned Monday.

To the New York Post, the owner of the restaurant's Manhattan headquarters, the Dylan Hotel, made it sound as if Spears is not prepared to write off her eatery as a big "Oops..."

"Britney said she wanted the best, so we hired [new chef] Larry Forgione," Morris Moinian told the Post.

Moinian described the revised menu as "continental with an Italian flavor."

To Reed Tucker, restaurant writer for Time Out New York, the new Nyla is not unlike the old Nyla--"another bad Midtown New York restaurant that just [happens] to be owned by Britney Spears."

Tucker says the restaurant was D.O.A. from the start. "To me, it didn't seem to be able to decide what it wanted to be," Tucker says.

Nyla, named for New York and Spears' native Louisiana, opened its doors with a bash that Tucker's magazine dubbed "Worst Party of the Year."

The rain-soaked red-carpet affair suffered from a star-power outage. Reported invitees Jennifer Lopez and Cher were no-shows, leaving the all-wet paparazzi with B-listers like Debbie Gibson and David Copperfield. Spears didn't help matters much, showing up an hour late to her own shindig.

But Nyla's biggest sin was its food. A curious mix of Southern sushi and short ribs, crabmeat gumbo and fried chicken, the menu was meant to give foodies a taste of Spears' beloved Cajun cuisine. But the foodies found the stuff bland.

"[The new menu is] certainly better, but I think it's too late," Tucker says. "If you're a serious diner in New York City, there's no way you'd be caught dead there."

If Nyla didn't work for foodies, that'd be one thing--certainly, the still-spinning Planet Hollywood chain has never been lauded by critics. But, according to Tucker, Nyla doesn't work for Britney fans, either.

Inside the restaurant, there's "no trace of Britney Spears," says Tucker--no pictures, no records, just menus full of moderately priced entrees (think $15) that seem pricey splurges to cash-strapped teenage girls.

If Nyla stiffs, Spears will join Maples and Swayze as failed celeb restaurateurs. If it turns around, she'll be the all-new J.Lo, whose Madre's in Pasadena, California, is still hot stuff.

Unfortunately for Brit, Tucker predicts the former, not the latter: "I think it's definitely over."

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Jamie Lynn Spears is part of the cast of Nickelodeon's programme All That.

Timberlake is the guest star in an episode to be broadcast this weekend.

In a sketch Spears plays an 84-year-old female bouncer, who is said to be inspired by her Grandma reports Entertainment Tonight.

When Timberlake tries to sneak past her, she ends up pulling down his trousers to teach him a lesson. But he is wearing multi-coloured boxer shorts underneath.

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Designed and published by NVU Editions with the active involvement of Ms. Spears, her family and friends, the book captures the excitement of her performance persona with her complex personal character. With rich color and intimate black and white photography by such world famous photographers as Jim Luning, Howard Rosenberg, Jeff Sciortino, and Marc Serota, "Stages" is an unrivalled document of Ms. Spears' life both on and off stage. Enhancing the photographs are original illustrations and bold layouts that add to the eye-popping aesthetic of the volume.

Through thoughtful contributions by Ms. Spears, her sister, mother, friends and relatives, the real Britney Spears is vividly defined. The reminiscences are honest and often surprising. "I wanted to give people a chance to see who I am," Ms. Spears noted, "and meet the most important people in my life."

The lavishly appointed oversized paperback book comes complete with a color poster and DVD documentary made with the help of noted filmmaker Albert Maysles ("Gimme Shelter"). Shot in Mexico City on the last leg of her 2002 World Tour, the film captures both the excitement and frustrations of a major music tour.

"Britney wanted to do something she's never really done before," noted Jim Forni, President of NVU Editions, the publishing arm of NVU Productions. "The book is a unique personal statement, both visually and textually. It really captures some of the dimension of this truly unique entertainer and warm human being."

"Stages" is available online at www.britneystages.com. The site is offering a special limited edition poster with purchase, as well as a limited edition of the book commemorating her 2001-2002 tour. "Stages" is also available at fine retailers nationwide, with Japanese and European editions to follow.

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