
State inspectors shut five Broward County restaurants and one Palm Beach County food truck last week, with issues ranging from roaches and rodents (droppings found on containers of flour, gnaw marks on sugar packets and rub marks on walls) to a lack of potable running water.
The Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
BROWARD COUNTY
Boston Johnny’s
2120 N. Dixie Highway, Hollywood
Ordered shut: Jan. 16
Why: Seven violations (two high-priority), including:
- About 28 live roaches in kitchen areas such as “inside of wheels of cook line flip-top cooler,” “on gasket to combo reach-in cooler/freezer,” “on trash receptacle,” “inside of reach-in cabinet holding dry storage items” and “inside of table-mounted can opener.”
- Eleven dead roaches in the kitchen “on ground behind cook line flip-top cooler,” “on top of crock-pot warmer,” “on ground under hand wash sink,” “on reach-in cooler/freezer” and “on ground under [point-of-sale] system at bar.”
- Stop sale ordered for tuna salad because it was “not consumed/sold within seven days after opening/preparation.”
- “Interior of oven has accumulation of grease/food debris.”
Status: Reopened Jan. 17 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Wilton Wings & Pizza
1428 NE Fourth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Jan. 14
Why: 24 violations (nine high-priority), including:
- Rodent rub marks present on wall in dry storage room “above chest freezer and into corner.”
- “Rodent materials” present in the air-conditioning vent by restrooms.
- Stop sale ordered for sugar packets “in dry storage room, open to kitchen, with gnaw marks through packets.”
- Eight live flies “on dining room wall,” on “bin in dry storage open to kitchen” and “on exterior back-door frame next to restrooms.”
- Four live roaches “between chest freezer and stand freezer in dry storage” area, “in orange storage container with dry pasta” and “on threshold of exterior door next to restrooms.”
- Five dead roaches in areas open to the kitchen such as “under shelving in dry storage room” and “under dunnage rack with dry pasta storage in storage room.”
- “Cook came in from outside, put on gloves and began to fry chicken wings without first washing hands.”
- Time/temperature issues involved wings, chili, beans, raw fish, cooked ribs, sliced turkey and roast beef.
Status: Reopened Jan. 15 after a follow-up inspection found eight violations (two high-priority).
Jalisco Mexican Spanish Home Town Restaurant
700 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Jan. 13
Why: Nine violations (two high-priority), including:
- Nine rodent droppings found in the storage room open to kitchen — “on top of large bulk containers of flour” and “in case of corn tortillas.”
- Stop sale ordered for “two plastic bags of corn tortillas with gnaw marks through the plastic.”
- About 16 dead roaches in areas such as “cabinets with bag-in-box syrups in dining area,” “under dish machine in kitchen” and “in employee restroom next to triple sink.”
- “Cardboard used on floor as anti-slip measure not replaced every day or when heavily soiled, whichever comes first,” in areas such as employee restroom, back storage room open to kitchen and in front of walk-in cooler.
- “Objectionable odors in area where triple sink is located,” along with an “accumulation of water and debris in this area.”
Status: Reopened Jan. 14 after a follow-up visit found no violations.
Ichiban Buffet
800 S. Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach
Ordered shut: Jan. 13
Why: 12 violations (three high-priority), including:
- About 24 rodent droppings “in dry storage area around water heater and behind washer and dryer,” “under counter at sushi prep area” and “under drain board in ware-washing area.”
- Stop sale: “Container of raw pre-shucked clams/mussels/oysters does not have a proper label.
- Stop sale: “Observed raw, shucked oysters on metal pans in walk-in freezer without any labeling or tags attached.”
- “Observed container with packaged raw beef stored on shelf above bagged raw onions in walk-in cooler.”
- “Wet wiping cloths observed stored on food prep table opposite fryers, at hibachi station prep table, and at cook line in kitchen.”
Status: Reopened Jan. 14 after a second visit found three violations (none high-priority).
Aki E Restaurant Bar
1840 Harrison St., Hollywood
Ordered shut: Jan. 13
Why: 12 violations (four high-priority), including:
- About 26 live roaches in areas such as “on wall at back storage room behind reach-in freezer,” “on step leading from back storage room to prep room,” “on ground behind glass slide-top, reach-in freezer in prep room,” “inside of corner of two-tier shelf holding clean wares in prep room,” “inside of gap of right corner cove molding next to steam table on main cook line” and “on electrical wire at wall next to steam table on main cook line.”
- “Observed large buildup of roach droppings inside of not-in-use, one-door, white reach-in freezer.”
- More than 13 dead roaches “behind and inside back of flip-top cooler in prep room,” “on shelving holding dry storage items on main cook line” and “on wall behind fire extinguisher on main cook line.”
- “Prescription medication stored on shelf above cook line with single-service items.”
- “Cooked rice and beans stored in direct contact with plastic handle to-go bag in walk-in cooler.”
Status: Closed on Jan. 14 after a follow-up inspection found six violations (two high-priority) and reopened later that day after a third visit found one basic violation.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Taqueria Tacontodo No. 2 (food truck)
1100 N. Main St., Belle Glade
Ordered shut: Jan. 14
Why: Nine violations (three high-priority). including:
- “Establishment operating with no potable running water.”
- Time/temperature issues involved pico de gallo and cooked rice.
Status: Closed on Jan. 15 after another inspection found four violations (one high-priority). Reopened Jan. 16 after a third visit found one basic violation.