Restaurant Inspections: Fishy Dish, Rodents, Hole in the Wall

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at four Tampa Bay area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t meet guidelines for health and safety.

Roach activity, evidence of rodents and dirty conditions were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings. In its Emergency Closures report for the week ending Oct. 11, the state noted these local restaurants had been ordered shuttered until they cleaned up their acts:

Bradenton

Vietnamese & Sushi Bar, 3118 53rd Ave. E.

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 5
• High priority violations – 3
• Intermediate violations – 1
• Basic violations – 4

The inspector noted such violations as improper pesticide use and advertisement of “white tuna” on the menu board while it served up another type of fish instead. The main concern, however, was the presence of “approximately 27 live roaches on premises,” according to the inspection report. Roaches were found in the dining room, sugar bin, underneath a toaster oven and near the sushi bar, among other places. The facility met state standards during a follow-up inspection on Oct. 6.

Clearwater

Pho Queen Vietnamese Restaurant, 29000 U.S. 19

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 7
• High priority violations – 5
• Intermediate violations – 3
• Basic violations – 19

The inspector noted such concerns as employee failure to wash hands, bare-hand contact with raw animal food and potentially hazardous food temperatures. Live roaches were also a concern with 12 found on the castors to the reach-in-coolers on the cook lines. The eatery met state standards during a follow-up inspection on Oct. 8.

Tampa

Best for Less Jamaican Jerk, 11618 N. 22nd St.

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 7
• High priority violations – 4
• Intermediate violations – 5
• Basic violations – 10

The inspector noted such violations as raw animal food stored over cooked food, the presence of a dead rodent and a hole in the wall. Rodent activity was further noted based on the finding of droppings and “rodent rub marks.” Droppings were found by the cook line, near the cash register area and in a bag of coffee under the register area, the inspector noted. The eatery was allowed to reopen after a follow-up on Oct. 8, but the inspector noted a need for a return visit.

Pinellas Park

Square Plate Restaurant, 9131 U.S. 19

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 7
• High priority violations – 7
• Intermediate violations – 12
• Basic violations – 19

A number of concerns were noted by the inspector including improper hand washing, potentially hazardous food temperature control and temperature abuse. Roaches were also found under the kitchen pass-through window, in an aluminum foil box, under the slicer table and in other locations. The restaurant failed to meet state standards during a first follow-up on Oct. 8, but did so later that same day, the inspector noted.

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