Wastewater & 72 Dead Roaches Found

Introduction to Restaurant Inspections

The state temporarily closed eight South Florida restaurants last week, with violations including wastewater backing up from a kitchen floor drain (and employees stepping in the gray water), 72 dead roaches at a cafe and “32 live insects” seen in and on boxes of dry pasta. 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.

How Restaurant Inspections Work

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 Restaurant Closures

Beach Terrace Restaurant

Beach Terrace Restaurant (inside Embassy Suites by Hilton Deerfield Beach Resort & Spa)
950 S. Ocean Drive, Deerfield Beach
Ordered shut: Sept. 30
Why: 15 violations (five high-priority), including:

• About 12 flies in kitchen “resting on wall and on cleaning equipment at mop sink” and “on shelving opposite cookline.”
• About 32 “live insects” seen “crawling on packaged dry pasta on shelf in dry storage area” and “inside boxes of Barilla pasta.” A stop sale was ordered for pasta.
• 12 roaches crawling on floor and in oven at cookline in kitchen and “on two-door, reach-in cooler at omelet station.”
• Two dead roaches “on floor next to reach-in cooler at cookline in kitchen.”
• “Observed heavy and old food debris under cookline in kitchen.”
  Status: Reopened Oct. 1 after a follow-up visit found no violations.

Mainland China Bistro

Mainland China Bistro
2445 N. University Drive, Coral Springs
Ordered shut: Sept. 30
Why: Nine violations (three high-priority), including:

• About 53 rodent droppings in kitchen “underneath right flip-top cooler” and “under storage rack,” as well as “in storage area underneath ice bin and under storage shelves” and “under dish rack.”
• “Raw chicken [stored] over cooked chicken and cooked noodles in far left kitchen flip-top cooler.”
• Time/temperature issues involved pork wonton, cooked cabbage and cooked chicken.
• “Back ice bin contains mold-like substance.”
  Status: Reopened Oct. 1 after a second inspection found two basic violations.

Pink Cafe

Pink Cafe
701 N. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach
Ordered shut: Sept. 30
Why: Six violations (two high-priority), including:

• 15 live roaches at front counter areas such as “on paper towel taped to beverage cup holder,” “next to espresso machine,” “on control device located on ground under two-door, stainless reach-in cooler holding espresso machine,” “on water filter behind ice machine,” “on wall behind ice machine,” as well as in kitchen “on ground under cook line flip-top,” “inside of door frame in dry storage room,” “on wall in dry storage room” and “next to back door.”
• About 72 dead roaches at front counter areas including “under espresso machine” and “on control device located on ground under two-door, stainless reach-in cooler holding espresso machine,” as well as in kitchen “on ground under cook line equipment,” “on ground under warewashing machine,” “on ground in dry storage room” and “on ground under cook flip-top cooler.”
  Status: Reopened Oct. 1 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.

La Fonda Restaurant

La Fonda Restaurant
1855 S. State Road 7, Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Oct. 1
Why: 16 violations (seven high-priority), including:

• Six flies in the kitchen “landing on clean food preparation table and clean meat slicer.”
• About 25 live roaches “in refrigerator drawers at cookline” and “underneath cooking equipment in kitchen.”
• “Observed raw breaded chicken stored over open bag with french fries in … reach-in freezer.”
• Stop sale ordered for cooked ground beef, steak and chicken “due to temperature abuse.”
• Time/temperature issue also involved cooked pork.
• “Observed accumulation of black mold-like substance buildup inside ice machine.”
  Status: Reopened Oct. 2 after a follow-up visit found two intermediate violations.

Breezes

Breezes (inside Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach)
801 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Oct. 1
Why: Five violations (three high-priority), including:

• About 20 flies “landing on deli meat platter,” “on cut pineapple and cut honeydew melon” and “on lights above foods stored at self-service bar,” as well as “on beer cooler at bar.” Stop sales were ordered for the deli meat, pineapple and honeydew.
• “Observed hand wash sink faucet leaking at bar.”
• “Observed no time marking at egg station.”
  Status: Reopened Oct. 2 after a second visit found no violations.

Palm Beach County Restaurant Closures

Malakor Thai Cafe

Malakor Thai Cafe
425 25th St., West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Sept. 29
Why: Four violations (one high-priority), including:

• About five live roaches “in the dish area on the wall under the shelving.”
• In sushi station, “gaskets on the lowboy cooler are soiled” and “torn.”
  Status: Reopened Sept. 30 after a follow-up visit found one basic violation.

The Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant

The Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant
4095 Haverhill Road, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Sept. 29
Why: Three high-priority violations, including:

• About six live roaches “in kitchen crawling on wall behind prep table.”
• Time/temperature issue involved cooked plantains.
• “Employee handled soiled dishes while washing and rinsing, then handled clean/sanitized dishes while placing to dry/store without washing hands.”
  Status: Reopened later the same day after a reinspection found no violations.

Cask + Shaker Craft Bar and Kitchen

Cask + Shaker Craft Bar and Kitchen (at CMX Cinemas Wellington)
10312 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 302, Wellington
Ordered shut: Oct. 1
Why: Six violations (four high-priority), including:

• About six flies in kitchen “flying around flip-top cooler” and “landing on dish machine and wall next to mop sink.”
• “In kitchen, wastewater backing up from floor drain in front of hand washing sink and vegetable wash sink,” with “employees stepping in [gray] water.”
• Time/temperature issue involved housemade chili.
  Status: Reopened Oct. 2 after a second inspection found no violations.

Conclusion

The temporary closure of these restaurants highlights the importance of maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in food establishments. The presence of live and dead roaches, flies, and rodent droppings, as well as issues with wastewater and temperature control, are all serious violations that can pose health risks to customers. It is essential for restaurants to take these issues seriously and take prompt action to address them in order to prevent the spread of illness and ensure a safe dining experience for their customers.

FAQs

Q: What happens when a restaurant fails a state inspection?
A: The restaurant must stay closed until it passes a follow-up inspection.
Q: How can I file a complaint about a restaurant?
A: Contact the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Q: What are some common high-priority violations that can lead to a restaurant being shut down?
A: High-priority violations include improper food temperatures, dead cockroaches, and other issues that can pose a health risk to customers.
Q: How often are restaurant inspections conducted?
A: Restaurant inspections are conducted weekly by the Florida DBPR.
Q: Can I find out if a restaurant has been shut down due to a violation?
A: Yes, you can check with the Florida DBPR or check online for information about restaurant closures in your area.