Rodent issues — including one spotted scurrying under a sink and more than 109 droppings in a kitchen — were among the violations that temporarily closed five South Florida restaurants last week.
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
Thai Moon by the Sea
3026 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: March 13
Why: Eight violations (two high-priority), including:
- About 10 roaches in the kitchen “running under cook line,” “crawling up the side of the flip-top cooler opposite cook line” and “inside caster wheels on three-door, reach-in cooler opposite cook line.”
- “Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine in kitchen.”
- “Observed bag of frozen chicken thawing at room temperature on food prep table in kitchen.”
Status: Remained closed on March 14 after a follow-up visit found four violations (one high-priority), but reopened March 15 after a third inspection found three basic violations.
Deluxe #2 Restaurant and Grill
996-998 SW 81st Ave., North Lauderdale
Ordered shut: March 14
Why: Six violations (two high-priority), including:
- “Observed one live rodent running under three-compartment sink in kitchen.”
- “Observed ready-to-eat hot dogs stored with unwashed vegetables in reach-in cooler.”
- Time/temperature issues involved spaghetti and cooked pork (not date marked).
Status: Reopened later that day after a second inspection found no violations.
Cucina Italiana
17 S. Pointe Drive, Unit G110, Dania Beach
Ordered shut: March 12
Why: 17 violations (five high-priority), including:
- About 28 live flies seen “around pizza station,” “around open bags of unwashed carrots and onions in rear kitchen,” “around open box of tomato cans,” “around mop sink in rear kitchen” and in other areas; two landed “on raw chicken breast in prep table” in rear kitchen.
- “Two crawling roaches on floor under condiment storage rack in rear kitchen.”
- Time/temperature issue involved mashed potatoes.
- “Open bags of flour in rear kitchen.”
Status: Closed on March 13 after a follow-up visit found three violations (one high-priority), but reopened later that day after a third inspection found one intermediate violation.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Mike’s Wings & Seafood
2968 S. Jog Road, Greenacres
Ordered shut: March 14
Why: Eight violations (three high-priority), including:
- More than 109 rodent droppings “in kitchen under cabinets on top of open boxes of single-service utensils,” “on top of reach-in cooler in kitchen at front counter” and “in kitchen next to containers of frying oil.”
- About “50 individual portioned packets of ketchup that have been chewed open and eaten” under cabinets.
- “In reach-in cooler, raw shell eggs stored over rice.”
- “In kitchen three-compartment sink, raw shrimp thawing in standing water.”
Status: A follow-up inspection is pending.
Green House Boba Tea and Pho
721 Village Blvd., Unit 107E, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: March 13
Why: Five high-priority violations:
- About eight “live roaches in kitchen crawling on/under expo line.”
- “Employee entered kitchen from dining room, put on gloves and began preparing food for customers without washing hands.”
- “Employee touched face and then handled clean equipment and utensils and dishes to prepare and served food to customers without washing hands.”
- “At reach-in freezer, portioned plastic container of raw chicken stored over portioned plastic-wrapped raw pork.”
- Time/temperature issue involved cooked rice.
Status: Reopened March 14 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.