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.
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 are all the eateries that the Department of Health has closed since Nov. 5.
Manhattan
Tea and Milk (151 West 34th St.)
Violation Points: 84
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.
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.
No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing 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.
Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.
No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
Queens
Dosa Hutt (45-63 Bowne St.)
Violation Points: 33
Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
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.
Brooklyn
Famous Last Words (925 Fulton St.)
Violation Points: 92
No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
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 house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies.
Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
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.
Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
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.
For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.