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 June 11.
Manhattan
Eschel (507 Columbus Ave.)
Violation Points: 60
- 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.
- Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area.
- Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
- 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.
- Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
- Single service article not provided. Single service article reused or not protected from contamination when transported, stored, dispensed. Drinking straws not completely enclosed in wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device.
- 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.
- Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- 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.
Brooklyn
Guatemex (4415 18th Ave.)
Violation Points: 59
- 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.
- Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
- Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
- Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
Queens
Cheong Hei Restaurant (81-48 Baxter Ave.)
Violation Points: 11
- 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.
Danny's Grill (7306 Bell Blvd.)
Violation Points: 38
- Failure to comply with an order of the Board of Health, Commissioner or Department.
- 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.
- 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.
- Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures