LOS GATOS—David Kinch's four-star restaurant has added a new menu with more options "for the times we live in." From Manresa: "The four-course menu and the chef's tasting menu will continue to feature the highly personal cuisine of chef David Kinch, with the addition of a new à la carte three-course menu ... The new menu will debut on Thursday, January 22." More info here. [ManresaBlog]
FOOD MEDIA—Via the Mothership comes the news that American Express/Food & Wine laid off 33 employees last week, most notably Executive Wine Editor (and ex-wife of Alan Richman) Lettie Teague. She will continue to write her column Wine Matters but will no longer work in a full time capacity at the magazine. The layoffs are apparently ongoing and many staffers are still being alerted. [~ENY~]
RAMSAY EMPIRE—Might Gordon Ramsay's global empire be in jeopardy? A recent, extensive report indicates that foul-mouthed Euro—whose restaurant count is now up to 25—might be in some financial trouble: "In these days of recession, it seems that even Gordon Ramsay is feeling the pinch. Documents show that eight months ago, his company's loan and overdraft facilities were extended to £10.5million ... He has been forced to close one of his London restaurants, Foxtrot Oscar, for two days a week and also two more evenings. Even in the run-up to Christmas, it was shut for six services a week." [Daily Mail]
THE COURTS—A pair of libel lawsuits against Yelpers have gotten some press lately, but apparently there have been at least five similar lawsuits, according to MediaPost: "In the last two years, at least five lawsuits--and possibly more--have been filed against Yelp reviewers. In California alone, in addition to the chiropractor's case, two dentists have sued reviewers and a spa owner sued an ex-employee ... Of the cases that have gone to court, the results have been mixed." [MP]
NAPA—Wine Country has a new taqueria: "The owners of the popular Tacos Michoacán truck have opened a sit-down restaurant at the corner of Soscol and Lincoln avenues." [NVR]
SAN FRANCISCO—The next few weeks should see plenty of announcements for Valentine's Day menus; if you're planning on indulging in the fun, Zagat has gone ahead and compiled a fairly wide-ranging list of some of the early specials. [Zagat]
[Photo: Flickr/bubbletea]