Restaurant Inspections: '18 Live Roaches Small and Large'

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

Roach activity, dirty conditions and potentially hazardous food storage practices were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings. In its Emergency Closures report for the week ending Oct. 20, the state noted these local restaurants had been ordered shut until they cleaned up their acts:

St. Petersburg

Paisano’s Pizza ‘N Pasta, 6000 4th St. N.

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 19
• High priority violations – 6
• Intermediate violations – 5
• Basic violations – 22

The inspector noted dirty conditions, dented cans of tomato sauce and potentially hazardous food storage practices. Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat items and the discovery of live roaches were major red flags. According to the state’s report, the inspector found “18 live roaches small and large” in the dish area. Large roaches were also found near the mixer and a small one on the server station. While the eatery was shut down following the Oct. 19 inspection, it met state standards and reopened after a second visit by the inspector later that same day.

Tampa

Acropolis Greek Taverna, 1833 E. 7th Ave.

• Initial inspection date – Oct. 19
• High priority violations – 10
• Intermediate violations – 3
• Basic violations – 15

The inspector noted such concerns as an ice bucket being stored on the floor in between uses, a hole in a wall and dirty conditions. Dented canned goods also raised alarm bells as did an employee’s failure to wash hands. The inspector also noted finding gyro meat in a broiler that had been turned off and concerns about food not being stored at the proper temperatures. Roaches were also found on the premises. The inspector noted finding 15 roaches under the reach-in cooler and on shelving next to the cooler. Other crawling critters were found by the gyro broiler table, under a dish machine and behind the ice machine. The eatery failed a second inspection on Oct. 19, the state’s report said. The inspector returned twice on Oct. 20. The restaurant failed the first inspection, but met state standards during the second visit that day.

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