Introduction to Restaurant Inspections

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation conducts weekly restaurant inspections in Broward and Palm Beach counties. These inspections are crucial in ensuring that restaurants maintain high standards of cleanliness and food safety. The Sun Sentinel highlights restaurants that are ordered shut due to "high-priority violations," such as improper food temperatures or the presence of dead cockroaches.

Importance of Restaurant Inspections

Restaurant inspections play a vital role in protecting public health. Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up inspection. If a customer spots a possible violation, they can file a complaint with the Florida DBPR.

Recent Restaurant Closures

Two South Florida restaurants were temporarily shut down last week due to various violations. These violations included live roaches in a microwave, flies landing on clean dishes, and dirt buildup on walls.

Broward County

In Broward County, Ciro’s Italian Deli & Restaurant was ordered shut on July 1. The restaurant had 14 violations, including three high-priority ones. Some of the violations included:

• Eight live flies seen landing on walls and food preparation counters
• 34 live cockroaches seen crawling in areas such as inside an in-use microwave, behind cooking oils, and in the dishwashing area
• Food debris on the microwave interior and exterior
• Accumulation of dirt buildup on walls throughout the kitchen and pizza station
• A "black mold-like substance" on a can opener blade and a kitchen cutting board
• A stop sale ordered for a "badly dented can with black olives" in the dry storage area
• A time/temperature issue involving lasagna with no date mark stored in the walk-in cooler

The restaurant reopened on July 2 after a follow-up inspection found two basic violations.

Palm Beach County

In Palm Beach County, Outback Steakhouse was ordered shut on July 2. The restaurant had three violations, including one high-priority one. Some of the violations included:

• 59 live flies landing on containers of food, single-service items, and clean dishes
• An open bottle of water from an employee stored above food in a walk-in cooler
• No paper towels or mechanical hand-drying device provided at the handwash sink

The restaurant reopened on July 2 after a same-day reinspection found no violations.

Violations and Their Impact

The presence of live roaches in a microwave, flies landing on clean dishes, and dirt buildup on walls are serious violations that can have a significant impact on public health. These violations can lead to the spread of diseases and foodborne illnesses.

Conclusion

Restaurant inspections are essential in ensuring that restaurants maintain high standards of cleanliness and food safety. The recent closures of Ciro’s Italian Deli & Restaurant and Outback Steakhouse highlight the importance of these inspections. Customers can play a vital role in reporting possible violations to the Florida DBPR.

FAQs

• What happens if a restaurant fails a state inspection?
  A restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up inspection.
• How can I report a possible violation?
  You can report a possible violation to the Florida DBPR.
• What are high-priority violations?
  High-priority violations include improper food temperatures, dead cockroaches, and other serious issues that can impact public health.
• Can a restaurant reopen after being shut down?
  Yes, a restaurant can reopen after being shut down if it passes a follow-up inspection.
  

  Roaches crawling inside an in-use microwave, dirt buildup on walls around a pizza station, and flies landing on a shelf with clean dishes were among the violations that led the state to temporarily shut two South Florida restaurants last week.

  The 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. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)

  BROWARD COUNTY

  Ciro’s Italian Deli & Restaurant
  8840 W. State Road 84, Davie

Ordered shut: July 1

Why: 14 violations (three high-priority), including:

• Eight live flies seen landing “on wall and food preparation counter at front line” and “on wall in dishwashing area.”
• 34 live cockroaches seen crawling in areas such as “inside in-use microwave in kitchen,” “behind cooking oils in dry storage area,” “behind soda dispenser  at wait station” and “in dishwashing area underneath food preparation table.”
• Food debris on microwave interior/exterior.
• “Accumulation of dirt buildup on walls throughout kitchen and pizza station.”
• “Black mold-like substance” on a can opener blade and a kitchen cutting board.
• Stop sale ordered for a “badly dented can with black olives at dry storage area.”
• Time/temperature issue involved lasagna — “observed no date mark on lasagna stored in walk in cooler.”

Status: Reopened July 2 after a follow-up inspection found two basic violations.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Outback Steakhouse
11101 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach

Ordered shut: July 2

Why: Three violations (one high-priority), including:

• 59 live flies “landing on containers of food and single-service items,” “on walls and above prep counter,” on “shelf with clean dishes,” “on storage shelf with clean drink pitchers,” “on bar shelf near bottle of liquor” and other areas.
• An open “bottle of water from employee stored above food” in a walk-in cooler.
• “No paper towels or mechanical hand-drying device provided at handwash sink.”

Status: Reopened July 2 after a same-day reinspection found no violations.