Urban Cantina, Dairy Queen, Paradise Cafe Cited By Inspectors

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL – Live roaches, employees handling food without gloves and sewage backing up through the kitchen floor drains are some of the violations Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspectors found last week at Hillsborough County restaurants.

Urban Cantina, 200 E. Madison St., Tampa, was cited for 30 violations on Jan. 3. Among them were several high-priority violations including employees not washing hands before handling dishes and utensils, raw beef and raw chicken stored at improper temperatures, a rusted sandwich press and no proof of employee training.

Divine Menus at 12924 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa was cited for 21 violations on Jan. 4 including live roaches found between the cold holding units on the floor in the kitchen, flies in the food preparation and storage areas, an employee preparing toast and jam with bare hands and operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.

Billy’s Seafood & Gyros, 8501 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, was temporarily closed on Jan. 3 after receiving 10 violations including an “objectionable odor” from sewage backing up through the floor drains on the cook’s line. Inspectors also noted equipment in poor repair and a mold-like substance on the self-service drink machine.

The Paradise Café at 1123 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, also was temporarily closed after inspectors found 24 code violations on Jan. 2. Among the violations were the presence of live roaches underneath a microwave, rust on the shelves of the reach-in cooler, operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants, and no hot water available at the three-compartment sink.

Dairy Queen at 1902 W. Reynolds St., Plant City, was cited Jan. 3 for eight violations, none of them high-priority. They included encrusted food debris in the microwave, the food manager having expired certification and no proof of employee training.

Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspectors made note of two Hillsborough County restaurants that recently passed inspections without any violations: La Chaparrita at 5028 E. 10th Ave., Tampa, and Culver’s at 8410 Citrus Park Drive. In the past month, 191 Hillsborough County restaurants passed inspections with no warnings.

For more details on Hillsborough County restaurant inspections, click here.