Restaurant Inspections: Roaches In A Bucket

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at four area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t meet state guidelines for health and safety.

Roach activity, dirty conditions and rodent droppings were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings. In its Emergency Closures report for the week ending June 10, the state noted these local restaurants had been ordered shut until they cleaned up their acts:

Bradenton

TK’s Java Sweets, 3985 Cortez Road W.

• Initial inspection date – June 9
• High priority violations – 1
• Intermediate violations – 3
• Basic violations – 2

The state’s inspector noted such concerns as potentially hazardous food storage temperatures, no proof of state-approved employee training and improper sanitizer strength. The biggest concern noted, however, was the discovery of 10 live roaches at the soda machine. The inspector did say the machine “was empty and not in use at the time” though. The eatery was inspected again on June 10, but failed to meet state standards, state records show. The state had not filed updated inspection information as of June 13.

St. Petersburg

Ricky P’s Creole Kitchen, 11002 Fourth St. N.

• Initial inspection date – June 5
• High priority violations – 3
• Intermediate violations – 3
• Basic violations – 10

The state’s inspector noted such concerns as bread crumbs being stored on the floor, a dead roach on the cook line and an employee touching “ready-to-eat food with their bare hands.” Concerns about potentially hazardous food storage practices were also noted. The biggest issue the inspector noted was the discovery of live roaches in several parts of the eatery. Eighteen roaches were found on a pipe under a sick, two on the cook line and two more under a shelf. The eatery failed a follow-up inspection on June 6, but met state standards on June 8.

Pinellas Park

RocknRobbies Cheeseburgers, 7801 Park. Blvd.

• Initial inspection date – June 10
• High priority violations – 1
• Intermediation violations – 0
• Basic violations – 3

Aside from the discovery of 22 live roaches found in a bucket under a cabinet on the cook’s line, the state’s inspector only had minor concerns. Those roaches, the inspector noted, were the only ones found on the premises. Other concerns included not air-drying utensils and pitted, rusty reach-in cooler shelving. The eatery met state standards during a follow-up inspection on June 10.

Lakeland

Big Cypress Grill, 10000 U.S. 98 N.

• Initial inspection date – June 9
• High priority violations – 1
• Intermediate violations – 2
• Basic violations – 0

Food residue found in a reach-in cooler and an inaccessible handwashing sink caught the attention of the state inspector. So, too, did the discovery of rodent droppings in several locations within the establishment. The inspector noted finding droppings in the dry food storage area, behind the ice machine and on the floor in the bar area. “Moist droppings” were found in an area “adjacent and open to (the) food preparation area.” The inspector made a return visit on June 9. Big Cypress met state standards during that follow-up visit, state records show.

Image via Shutterstock