Restaurant Inspections: Roaches Near Tacos, Moldy Ice Maker

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

Roach activity, dirty conditions and potentially dangerous food storage practices were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings. In its Emergency Closures report for the week ending May 28, the state noted these local restaurants had been ordered shut until they cleaned up their acts:

Brandon

Vallarta Restaurante Mexicano, 716 W. Lumsden Road

• Initial inspection date – May 23
• High priority violations – 9
• Intermediate violations – 8
• Basic violations – 21

Dirty conditions, improper food storage temperatures and a mold-like substance in the ice machine all raised red flags with the inspector, the state’s report noted. Live, flying insects in the service station and the discovery of live roaches also rang alarm bells. The inspector noted finding 10 live roaches on a door inside the kitchen, eight on a shelf bracket above “exposed tacos and exposed shells,” two in a rice bin without rice in it and more in other locations. The eatery was allowed to reopen after a May 24 follow-up inspection, but the state noted a need for another visit.

Odessa

Angelina’s Pizza, Subs and More, 16138 State Road 54

• Initial inspection date – May 23
• High priority violations – 3
• Intermediate violations – 2
• Basic violations – 6

The inspector noted a number of concerns at the establishment, including sticky traps that had about 20 dead roaches in them. Other dead roaches were found under the hand washing sink, an employee was seen preparing food without a hair net and issues with potentially hazardous food storage conditions were noted. The state inspector also discovered live roaches, including five on the floor by the pizza oven, three behind the reach-in cooler, two on the wall near the phone and three near the deli case. The eatery met state standards during a return inspection on May 24.

Image via Shutterstock