More than 100 live flies buzzing around, 60+ rodent droppings near a container of rice and a prep table, and no potable running water were among the issues that led to the temporary closure of five South Florida restaurants and one food truck 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.)
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Le Bon Gout Restaurant
1230 S. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth Beach
Ordered shut: July 8
Why: 15 violations (seven high-priority), including:
- Five roaches in kitchen crawling “from refrigerator gaskets,” “on wall underneath hand sink” and “on wall near kitchen door.”
- Four dead roaches in kitchen “on top of fryer,” “on wall behind fryer” and “on door frame of reach-in cooler.”
- Stop sale ordered for cooked rice and tomato sauce “due to temperature abuse.”
- Stop sale ordered for seven bottles of cremas that were not labeled.
- “No hot running water at three-compartment sink.”
- “Raw pork thawing in standing water.”
Status: Closed on July 10 after a reinspection found six violations (two high-priority. Reopened July 11 after a third visit noted three intermediate and basic violations, with a follow-up inspection required.
Souvlaki Fast (inside Tanger Outlets)
1741 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite F01, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: July 9
Why: 17 violations (four high-priority), including:
- About four live roaches “in can opener in kitchen at cook line” and “by soda bottle storage in kitchen.”
- One dead roach “in can opener in kitchen at cook line.”
- “Observed raw lamb above cooked lasagna in walk-in refrigerator.”
- “Observed raw chicken above raw salmon and beef in walk-in refrigerator.”
- “Observed ice machine soiled with mold-like substance or slime.”
Status: Reopened July 10 after a second inspection found five intermediate and basic violations.
Tacos El Viejon (food truck)
1801 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: July 8
Why: Six violations (one high-priority), including:
- No potable running water because of an electrical problem.
- Time/temperature issue involved salsa.
Status: Reopened July 10 after a second inspection found one intermediate violation; a follow-up inspection was required.
BROWARD COUNTY
Ol’Days
200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: July 9
Why: 19 violations (eight high-priority), including:
- About 119 live flies “on the wall and ceiling at the expo area at entrance to kitchen,” “at entrance to cook line” on to-go bags and plates and a waffle iron, “on clean wine glass … and around glassware” at front counter, and “flying around kitchen” and “on clean dish plate in dish area.”
- Five dead roaches “in kitchen at cook-line left corner of [Alto-Shaam] oven.”
- “Raw beef and ready-to-eat chicken stored in same hotel pan.”
- Stop sale ordered for cut tomatoes, quinoa, coco cream and cheese “due to temperature abuse.”
- Stop sale ordered for tuna salad that was date-marked 5/1 and 5/2 with “mold growth on top of one of the items” and for hummus date-marked 5/14.
- “Floor under and around all cook line and cold holding equipment soiled/has accumulation of debris in and around equipment.”
- “At cook line, water accumulation in three-door cooler.”
Status: Closed July 10 after a follow-up inspection found four violations (three high-priority), but reopened later that same day after no violations were found during a third visit.
Mandeville’s Country Style Restaurant
3056 S. State Road 7, Miramar
Ordered shut: July 8
Why: Six violations (four high-priority), including:
- 12 live roaches in the kitchen “in front of triple sink,” “under prep table,” “on shelf next to stove,” “on top of storage bin” and “in front of exit door.”
- Two dead roaches “under shelf next to triple sink in kitchen.”
- “Containers of raw shell eggs stored above container of lettuce in double-door, reach-in cooler.”
- Stop sale ordered for cheese and cooked rice and fish “due to temperature abuse.”
- “Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated grease, dust or mold-like substance” in kitchen.
Status: Reopened July 9 after a second inspection found one basic violation.
Cedeño’s Cuban Café (inside Broward Mall)
8000 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation
Ordered shut: July 8
Why: Four violations (one high-priority), including:
- About 64 rodent droppings in “dry storage area next to rice container” and “underneath food preparation table at cook line.”
- “Observed several unlabeled spray bottles with cleaning chemicals at dishwashing area.”
- “Observed an [uncovered] container with cut onions in walk-in cooler.”
Status: Reopened later that same day after a reinspection found no violations.