South Florida Restaurant Inspections

Introduction to Restaurant Inspections

State inspectors temporarily shut six South Florida restaurants and one food truck last week after finding violations such as rodent droppings at the bottom of a pizza station, dead roaches “stuck to walls on cook line” and a men’s urinal “covered with small brown debris.”
The South Florida Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR.

Palm Beach County Restaurant Closures

Aroma Indian Cuisine

731 Village Blvd., Suite 110, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: June 4
Why: Nine violations (five high-priority), including:

• About 12 live roaches in kitchen crawling “inside oven on cook line,” “under prep table with microwave,” “on wall next to cooking equipment,” “on wall next to triple sink over cooking utensils” and “on shelving over prep table.”
• About 18 dead roaches in kitchen in and around a “hand-wash sink at expo line,” “stuck to walls on cook line over food cooking/preparation/storage areas,” “in left-side, flip-top cooler on cook line inside pans containing raw shell eggs/cooked cauliflower/cooked chicken” (stop sale ordered).
• “Employee handled menus and order entry system and then handled clean glasses, alcohol jigger and ice scoop while preparing drinks for customers without washing hands.”
• “Employee touched visibly soiled wiping cloth and then handled clean utensils and plates while preparing food for customers without washing hands.”
  Status: Closed June 5 after a follow-up inspection found four violations (two high-priority) and also on June 6 when a third visit yielded two violations (one high-priority). Reopened later that day, with a follow-up inspection required, after a fourth visit found one intermediate violation.

Brick Oven Pizza

726 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach
Ordered shut: June 4
Why: Two high-priority violations, including:

• More than 23 rodent droppings “at bottom of pizza station in kitchen” and “on top of dish machine.”
• “Raw chicken stored over raw beef, not all commercially packaged,” in reach-in freezer.
  Status: Closed June 5 after a follow-up inspection found one high-priority violation. Reopened June 6 after a third visit found zero violations.

La Luna Italian Bistro & Bar

5030 Champion Blvd., Boca Raton
Ordered shut: June 4
Why: Three violations (two high-priority), including:

• About 34 rodent droppings “on cans in dry storage area,” “on floor in dry storage area away from kitchen” and “on electrical panel in dry storage area away from kitchen.”
• One live roach “on floor in front of tall reach-in freezer near salad prep cooler.”
• “Hood filters soiled with grease and food debris.”
  Status: Reopened June 5 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.

Brothers Taquizas food truck

1600 N. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: June 2
Why: 14 violations (12 high-priority), including:

• Four live flies “flying around in food truck” and “landing on single-service box that was placed on counter to serve customers.”
• Stop sale ordered “due to temperature abuse” for items such as cooked rice, cooked peppers, raw ground beef, cooked chicken, cooked pork, cooked beef, raw shrimp and red salsa.
• Stop sale ordered for tortilla “stored on visibly soiled wiping cloth” inside a cooler (“non-food grade towel used as liner for food container”).
• “Observed employee handle soiled dishes and chlorine at triple sink then put gloves on and began to take cooked chicken from container in cooler to reheat on flat-top grill” without washing hands.
• “Observed employee wash hands with water from hose at triple sink with no soap then [handle] clean utensil.”
• “Observed no running water or triple sink area. Operator has a hose from outside with a handle to spray, hanging on the side of the triple sink.”
  Status: Reopened June 5 after a second visit found two intermediate violations, with a follow-up inspection required.

Elle Caribbean Grill

220 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach
Ordered shut: June 2
Why: 25 violations (seven high-priority), including:

• Nine flies seen landing “on triple sink,” “on inspector’s shoulder,” “on soiled apron across slicer,” “on slicer,” “on lid of the chest freezer across cook line” and “on pastry prep table, while prepping [was] in progress.”
• Stop sale ordered for beef empanadas “due to temperature abuse.”
• Food debris spotted in the microwave, as well as on the “bottom inside of reach-in freezer at cook line” and on a flour container.
• “Ice machine used for drink ice unprotected from contamination. Dry wall work conducted around ice machine.”
• “Employee personal charger, keys, cellphone and glasses stored in or above a food preparation area, next to slicer.”
• “Employee washed hands with no soap after picking up food debris on the floor.”
• “Cook picked up food debris off the floor and kept on preparing food at cook line without changing gloves and washing hands.”
• All cooked food prepared the previous day and stored in a walk-in cooler had no date mark.
  Status: Reopened June 3 after a second inspection found one intermediate violation; a follow-up inspection was required.

Broward County Restaurant Closures

Express Caribbean Restaurant

1401 S. State Road 7, North Lauderdale
Ordered shut: June 4
Why: 18 violations (four high-priority), including:

• About 40 rodent droppings “on storage shelf underneath bag of jasmine rice,” “on the floor in storage room off kitchen,” “in mop sink next to three-compartment sink,” “on shelves on cook line,” “on the floor next to freezer chests in back storage room” and “on the floor in front of two-door glass beverage cooler at front counter.”
• Stop sale ordered for pikliz (“due to temperature abuse”) and cooked turkey (time/temperature issue).
• Time/temperature issue also involved cooked pork “sitting out at room temperature in kitchen.”
• “Observed employee cellphone on prep table.”
• “Observed can of Hot Shot ant and roach spray on top shelf in kitchen.”
  Status: Reopened June 5 after a second inspection found four basic violations.

McDonald’s

10901 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise
Ordered shut: June 2
Why: Five violations (one high-priority), including:

• About 11 live flies “on wall in men’s bathroom,” “on to-go food container,” “on dining area ceiling lights hanging above table,” “on employee break-room table,” and “landing and flying around dumpster area,” and “not touching or landing on anything near cook line.”
• About 10 flies stuck on fly trap.
• “Urinal in men’s bathroom interior covered with multiple small brown debris cluttering inside of urinal.”
• “Dumpster slightly overfilled and can’t be closed completely.”
  Status: Reopened later the same day after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
  

Conclusion

The closure of these restaurants and food truck highlights the importance of maintaining cleanliness and following proper food handling procedures to prevent the spread of illness. It is crucial for establishments to take these inspections seriously and make necessary corrections to ensure the health and safety of their customers.

FAQs

What happens when a restaurant fails a state inspection?

Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up inspection.

How can I file a complaint about a possible violation?

If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR.

What are high-priority violations?

High-priority violations include issues such as improper food temperatures, dead cockroaches, and other serious health hazards.

Can a restaurant reopen after being shut down?

Yes, a restaurant can reopen after being shut down once it passes a follow-up inspection and corrects all violations.