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One Polk County restaurant was closed for a day during the two-week period from Sept. 16 to 29 after an inspector found 32 violations, including some related to roaches and flies.
In all, 12 restaurants fell short of inspection standards during the two weeks, and three had violations related to pests.
On Sept. 27, Buffet City at 810 Cypress Garden Blvd. in Winter Haven, was ordered closed temporarily after an inspector found 32 violations, including eight considered high priority.
The inspector noted one live roach (high priority) and more than 60 dead roach, most of them on sticky traps (basic violation). There were also four live flies (high priority).
Besides the insects, the other six high-priority violations included: the dishmachine not mixing chlorine sanitizer; raw animal food not properly separated from ready-to-eat food (raw fish over sauce in the walk-in cooler, raw pork over carrots, raw shell eggs over crab Rangoon, raw shell eggs over cooked rice at the hibachi station); the hibachi station lacked proper sneeze guards; shell eggs in use or stored with cracks or broken shells; several items “cold held” at more than 41 degrees (ham 49 degrees, cooked corn 47, cut cabbage 57, cut melon 53 , crab salad 47, raw fish 47); and egg rolls “hot held” at less than 135 degrees.
There were nine intermediate violations: oyster tags not maintained in chronological order according to the last date they were served; oyster tags not marked with last date served; raw or undercooked oysters were offered without a consumer advisory; food manager’s certification was expired; a handwash sink had a bucket in it, making it inaccessible to employees; no proof of required employee training provided for an employee hired more than 60 days ago; no written procedures available for holding sushi rice; an ice machine, cutting board and can opener were soiled with food debris or mold like substance; and some ready-to-eat time and temperature controlled food in the walk-in cooler wasn’t properly dated (noodles, dumplings, crab seafood salad, potatoes).
Besides the dead roaches, there were 14 other basic violations: an employee beverage container on a food preparation table; employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served; cups on the server station were not properly air-dried - wet nesting; rusted racks in walk in cooler, a gasket torn on walk-in cooler and ice buildup around the walk-in freezer; walk-in cooler floor was soiled; various buckets of food stored on walk-in cooler floor; an in-use wet wiping cloth/towel was used under a cutting board; lights were missing the proper covers; an upstairs freezer and equipment were located with a bed; several equipment door handles were soiled with debris; a milk container was cut in half and used as a scoop; some single-service articles were improperly stored on a floor in the back storage by restrooms; an upstairs storage unit wasn’t maintained and organized; raw swai was thawing improperly at room temperature and crab meat was thawing in standing water.
In a follow-up inspection on Sept. 18, an inspector found 15 violations remaining, including the issue with dead roaches. The emergency order to close was extended.
Later the same day, another follow-up occurred. Eleven violations remained, only one of them high priority (the buffet line sneeze guard) but not the ones regarding insects. The restaurant was allowed to reopen, albeit another follow-up was required. As of Oct. 5, no follow-up inspection was logged in state reports.
Two other restaurants that failed to meet standards had pest violations
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 201 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven: On Sept. 18, the restaurant had 11 violations, including three high-priority.
Among those, the inspector noted 30 live flies in various spots from dry storage to a server station; cooked nacho beef wasn’t cooled from 135 degrees to 70 degrees within two hours (corrected on site); prepped coleslaw wasn’t cooled to 41 degrees within four hours (corrected on site).
One intermediate violation was for missing information on records of employee training.
And there were seven basic violations: an employee’s handbag was stored on a countertop in the bar area; an exterior door had a gap at the threshold; excessive buildup of food and grease behind the fryers and cook line equipment; broken floor tiles and some missing floor grout causing water and food debris buildup; a fly light was installed over a server food prep station; walk-in cooler fan covers were soiled with dust and the fryer prep table with grease; and a pipe was leaking from the handwash sink near the prep station.
In a follow-up the next day, the restaurant met standards with just four basic violations remaining.
Strawberry Hut, 743 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland: On Sept. 20, the restaurant had 10 violations, including two high priority. Among those, the inspector noted 13 rodent droppings, which appeared to be old from cleaning the air handler room. The other was for wiping cloth sanitizer exceeding the maximum concentration allowed.
There were three intermediate violations: a can opener and ice machine chute soiled with debris or mold-like substance; the handwash sink used for drying towels; and the restaurant was unable to provide original certificates for the training of two employees.
Among five basic violations, the inspector noted: two dead roaches; rusted racks in the walk-in cooler and excessive cut marks on a cutting board; a wall missing drywall; a soiled soda head; and an open dumpster lid.
On Sept. 23, the restaurant met standards with only two remaining basic violations.
Other restaurants that fell short of standards, and why
Church's Chicken #413, 215 W. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland: On Sept. 17, the restaurant had seven violations, including one high priority. That was for operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. There was one intermediate violation – lacking proof of required, state-approved employee food safety training. And there were five basic violations: floor areas under the cook line covered in standing water; two cases of chicken stored on the floor of the walk-in cooler; missing tiles on the wall by the cashier; air curtains in the walk-in cooler soiled; and to-go cups stored on the floor in an outside storage unit.
Froyo Factory, 125 E. Van Fleet Drive, Bartow: On Sept. 18, the restaurant had a callback from a July inspection in which four violations were found. During the callback, only violation remained: no proof of required training for employees.
Fish City Grill, 1485 Town Center Drive, Lakeland: On Sept. 19, the restaurant had six violations, including two high priority. Among those, the inspector noticed an employee touch her nose while making drinks, and certain temperature-controlled foods were “cold held” at greater than 41 degrees (coleslaw 45, shrimp 46, haddock 46).
A single intermediate violation was for an employee using the handwash sink for purposes other than hand washing (in this case, filling a container).
There were three basic violations: pans on a shelf in the dishwasher area not properly air dried (wet nesting); a case of chicken stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer; water leaking from a faucet in a handwash sink.
The following day, the restaurant met standards with just two remaining basic violations.
Garden Bistro, 702 E. Orange St., Lakeland: On Sept. 19, the restaurant had four violations. Three of them were intermediate: an ice machine soiled with food debris or a mold-like substance, no proof of required employee training; and no soap provided at a handwash sink. It’s single basic violation was for reusing a syrup container.
Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, 1578 3rd St. S.W., Winter Haven: On Sept. 20, the restaurant had four basic and one intermediate violation. The intermediate was for lacking proof of employee training. Among the basic violations: a mold-like substance in the ice machine; ceiling tiles with an accumulation of debris; food stored on the floor of the walk-in; and an open dumpster lid.
Charley's Phillysteak, 5750 U.S. 98 N., Lakeland: On Sept. 23, the restaurant had five violations, including two high priority. One was for operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license; the other for raw shell eggs stored over cut green peppers in the walk-in cooler. The three basic violations were for dusty ceiling or vents; an employee beverage on a food prep table; and an open dumpster lid.
Palace Pizza, 2054 Sheperd Road, Mulberry: On Sept. 24, the restaurant had three violations. The intermediate violations were for the food manager lacking proof of certification and food debris on a can opener blade. One basic violation was for food debris on gaskets in flip-top units.
Wendy's 7564, 5610 Cypress Garden Blvd., Winter Haven: On Sept. 24, the restaurant had two violations, including one high priority. That was for the dishmachine not mixing sanitizer at the proper minimum strength. It’s basic violation was for not displaying its current Hotel and Restaurant license.
Impact Café, 1201 Burns Ave., Lake Wales: On Sept. 25, the restaurant had three violations: the person in charge lacking proof of certification (intermediate); an employee beverage on a food prep table (basic); and an employee’s cell phone on a cutting board (basic).
Perfection
These 12 Polk County food vendors, many of them food trucks, achieved a perfect initial inspection Sept. 16
Taqueria Mederos, mobile vendor, 2701 Swindell Road, Lakeland
Big Daddy's Barbeque, 3290 Cypress Gardens Road, Winter Haven
Rising Star Delights, 1801 George Jenkins Blvd., Lakeland
Classic Caterers, 312 Ridge Manor Drive, Lake Wales
Papadog, mobile vendor, 501 E. Main St., Haines City
Sweets By Norris, mobile vendor, 2803 Recker Highway, Winter Haven
El Goloso Mexican, mobile vendor, 2255 U.S. 17-92 N., Haines City
Jac's Corner, mobile vendor, 3798 Cypress Gardens Road, Winter Haven
Kuties Fresh Sips & Treats, 3798 Cypress Gardens Road, Winter Haven
The Lake House Kitchen 5 LLC, mobile vendor, 695 Ave. K S.W., Winter Haven
The Lake House Kitchen 6 LLC, mobile vendor, 695 Ave. K S.W., Winter Haven
Topsy's a Taste of Love, mobile vendor, 301 Commerce Court Unit I, Winter Haven
Keep in mind as you read
Remember that in some cases, violations are noted are technical issues not directly linked to hygiene or cleanliness. Remember, too, that broken refrigerators, chipped tiles or fast work may add up to unintended mistakes.
Regardless, if you notice abuses of state standards, report them and DBPR will send inspectors. Call 850-487-1395.
The terminology
What does all that terminology in state restaurant inspections mean?
Basic violations are those considered against best practices.
A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.
An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: “Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over.”
An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.
A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license and the establishment may reopen only after inspection shows that all high-priority violations that caused the suspension are corrected.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk restaurant closed for a day with 32 violations, including roaches
