NEW YORK CITY — Vermin, dirty dishes and poor personal cleanliness — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they'd rather not share. But New York City's Health Department is watching.
Every year, inspectors arrive unannounced at more than 25,000 restaurants to examine health and safety standards. Most eateries pass inspections, but some fall short of the city's standards, accruing violation points for everything from broken light bulbs to "public health hazards," like vermin and failure to follow food safety protocols.
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Restaurants hit with non-food-safety violations might get a fine or a lower letter grade, with zero to 13 points warranting an 'A' and violations totaling 28 points or more earning a 'C' (this system is criticized for its efficacy by some gourmands).
Public health hazards that can't be resolved on the spot, like a mouse or fly infestation, pose a bigger issue: immediate closure.
Here's all the eateries that the Department of Health closed down since October 10:
Manhattan
IPizzaNY (621 2nd Ave.)
Violation Points: 106
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
- Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used.
- Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include houseflies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
- Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint, not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
- Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
- Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
Meem Spicy Grocery and Grill (160 E. 28th St.)
Violation Points: 116
- Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
- No handwashing facility in or adjacent to the restroom or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Handwashing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
- Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include houseflies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
- Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
- Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
- Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures.
Commodore II (14 Avenue C)
Violation Points: 101
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include houseflies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- No handwashing facility in or adjacent to the restroom or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Handwashing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
- Mechanical or natural ventilation not provided, inadequate, improperly installed, in disrepair or fails to prevent and control excessive build-up of grease, heat, steam condensation, vapors, odors, smoke or fumes.
- Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
- Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
Olivio (120 E. 42nd St.)
Violation Points: 50
- Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
- Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required. Shared patron-employee toilet accessed through kitchen, food prep or storage area or utensil washing area.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include houseflies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
- Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used.
Moon Man (75 9th Ave.)
Violation Points: 122
No, or inadequate potable water supply. Water or ice not portable or from unapproved source. Bottled water not NY State certified. Cross connection in potable water supply system.
No handwashing facility in or adjacent to the restroom or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Handwashing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
Food, prohibited, from unapproved or unknown source, home canned or home prepared. Animal slaughtered, butchered or dressed (eviscerated, skinned) in establishment. Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) fish, not frozen before processing. ROP food prepared on premises transported to another site.
No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
Brooklyn
Nenes Taqueria (660 DeGraw St.)
Violation Points: 97
- Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
- Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures
- Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include houseflies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- After cooking or removal from hot holding, TCS food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °F to 70 °F or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °F to 41 °F or less within 4 additional hours.
- Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
- Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
Stay Fit Nutrition (132 Wilson Ave.)
Violation Points: 63
- Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area.
- Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
- Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
- Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
- Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.