Flies landing on a deli slicer, flour bags and clean utensils and rodent droppings littering a kitchen floor were among the violations that forced state inspectors to temporarily close four South Florida restaurants last week.
Note: This is a partial roundup because the state has not updated its slate of inspections since Dec. 21.
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 “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 spotted 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.)
Popeyes, Coral Springs
9373 W. Atlantic Blvd.
Ordered shut: Dec. 18; reopened Dec. 19
Why: A single high-priority violation involving 109 live flies “in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area.”
The flies were seen “around CO2 tanks and landing on wall and clean apron,” “flying around shelves and landing on clean service utensils, cases of single-service bags, spoons, wall and ceiling,” “flying around drains,” “flying around mop at mop sink” in the kitchen, and “landing on bottom of prep shelf over open egg batter, seasoned flour and raw chicken.”
Despite continued fly issues observed during a next-day inspection, the state cleared the fast-food restaurant to reopen.
Stallion Restaurant, Wellington
11630 Polo Club Road
Ordered shut: Dec. 19 and Dec. 20; reopened Dec. 20
Why: 10 violations (five high-priority), including 16 live flies “on floor drain under dishwasher in kitchen,” “on door of dry storage room in kitchen” and “flying around at bar not landing on anything.”
The report also red-flagged 14 cockroaches crawling “on tray storing canned items and wall in dry storage room in kitchen,” and “on wall outside dry storage room.”
Finally, the state spotted a “buildup of food debris/soil residue on… stainless-steel, two-door unit at end of cook line” and a “hole in or other damage to wall … at hand sink outside walk-in cooler.”
The restaurant was ordered shut again on Dec. 20 for live fly and roach issues, but it reopened later day after a third inspection found one high-priority violation.
The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., Palm Beach Gardens
4403 Northlake Blvd.
Ordered shut: Dec. 19; reopened Dec. 20
Why: Eight violations (four high-priority), including at least 51 flies seen “landing on bags of flour, prep counters, walls above prep counters, bagel oven and on dry storage food items,” “landing on wall and cleaning products” around the three-compartment sink, and “landing on deli slicer and surrounding wall,” among other areas.
The report also noted smoked salmon improperly stored “over pasteurized liquid eggs.”
The bagel chain was allowed to reopen the next day after a second inspection yielded zero violations.
Mulligan’s Beach House, Riviera Beach
2551 N. Ocean Ave.
Ordered shut: Dec. 18 and Dec. 19; reopened Dec. 19
Why: Six violations (five high-priority), including eight flies observed “flying around/landing on liquor bottles/wall behind.”
There were also 37 rodent droppings spotted around the kitchen floor — “in dry storage area,” “on expo line,” in the dish area and the prep area — as well as “in bar on floor under shelves.”
The restaurant was ordered to stop selling and trash an “oxygen-packaged raw salmon” and buttermilk “due to temperature abuse.”
The restaurant was ordered shut a second time on Dec. 19 but was cleared to open later that day despite the state’s third inspection finding another high-priority violation. Mulligan’s was previously ordered shut in November and September.