A restaurant operating with no hot water and selling raw or undercooked swai without “proper parasite destruction.” A bagel place with 40 live flies buzzing around. A donut shop employee seen adjusting a piercing and hair without washing their hands before handling clean items and food.
The state temporarily shut five South Florida eateries last week for these and other violations.
The South Florida 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 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, visit myfloridalicense.com. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
Palm Beach County
CALI AJI Latin Restaurant
4251 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton
Ordered shut: Feb. 19
Why: 18 violations (three high-priority), including:
• About 25 rodent droppings “in dry storage area on floor underneath storage rack in kitchen.”
• “Nonexempt fish, swai, offered raw or undercooked has not undergone proper parasite destruction.”
• “No hot water in facility.”
• “Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris and/or dust behind cleaned utensil rack in kitchen.”
• “Observed soiled cardboard at cookline storage shelf.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 20 after a next-day visit found 10 violations (one high-priority. A follow-up inspection was required.
Dunkin’
4607 N. Australian Ave., West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Feb. 19
Why: Five high-priority violations, including:
• “Employee touched face/nose while adjusting piercing and hair while adjusting hat, then handled clean equipment, clean utensils and prepared food/drinks for customers without washing hands.”
• “Establishment operating under Boil Water Notice … water not being treated/boiled used for drink ice, coffee/tea brewing”; stop sale ordered.
• Time/temperature issue involved sliced cheese; stop sale ordered.
Status: Reopened Feb. 20 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Palm Beach Bagel
1200 Yamato Road, No. C1, Boca Raton
Ordered shut: Feb. 18
Why: Seven violations (five high-priority), including:
• About 40 flies “behind front counter flying around/landing on assorted flat bagels on top of display case” (stop sale ordered), “on wall behind front counter over flip-top cooler and food preparation areas,” “flying around counter side flip-top cooler lid,” and in kitchen “on wall behind mop sink” and “on wall behind knife holder.”
• “Employee touched visibly soiled wiping cloth, touched garbage can and then handled clean equipment, clean utensils, clean plates and prepared food for customers without washing hands.”
• Stop sale ordered for cooked peppers, boiled eggs and cut lettuce “due to temperature abuse.”
• Time/temperature issues also involved cooked sausage, cut tomatoes and cooked garbanzo beans.
Status: Closed Feb. 19 after a reinspection found one high-priority violation. Reopened later that same day after a third visit found no violations.
Los Catrachos II
4663 Lake Worth Road, Greenacres
Ordered shut: Feb. 17
Why: 18 violations (15 high-priority), including:
• About eight live roaches “across cook line below prep table” and “at tortilla station.”
• About five dead roaches “by reach-in cooler at dry storage area” and “at prep table across cook line on bucket and single-serve items.”
• “Approximately one small, live flying insect at dry storage landing on bottles [of] vinegar and shelving.”
• “Employee cracked raw shell eggs then touched clean plate” without washing hands.
• “Tortillas in direct contact with rag.”
• “Raw steak stored over portioned sauces.”
• Stop sale ordered for cooked pork datemarked Jan. 30.
• Time/temperature issues involved items such as raw shell eggs, raw fish, raw chicken, raw steaks, raw pork, sour cream, sliced ham, pico de gallo, beef soup and sliced cheese.
• Stop sale ordered for cooked beans, coleslaw, cheese and milk “due to temperature abuse.”
• Stop sale ordered for “one dented can of tomato sauce.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 18 after a next-day visit found no violations.
Broward County
Moe’s Southwest Grill
6230 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs
Ordered shut: Feb. 17
Why: Three violations (one high-priority), including:
• Six live roaches “behind notice board in dishwashing area” and “underneath rice cooker in prep station.”
• Nine dead roaches “behind notice board in dishwashing area” and “underneath dressing cooler in dining room.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 18 after a follow-up visit found one basic violation.