Employees Caught Making Food with Soiled Gloves: Health Inspections

Restaurants can pass, pass with conditions or fail using a standardized procedure. Establishments that pass don't have any critical or serious violations. Those that receive 'pass with conditions' had serious violations, but the violations were corrected during the inspection. 

Failed establishments had serious violations that weren't correctable during the inspection. A fail rating does not mean the business's license is automatically suspended.

All inspections are done on a routine canvass, unless otherwise noted.

Red E. Brands, 1562 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Inspection date: June 24
Results: Pass
Violations:  The inspector found unnecessary articles stored in the basement, which need to be removed or stored 6 inches off the floor. Missing from the restaurant is a cover for the ice bin and a backflow preventer on the espresso machine.

Burger King, 2701 N. Western Ave.
Inspection date: June 25
Results: Fail
Violations: This visit was the result of a complaint. Upon arrival, inspectors observed poor hygienic practices among employees like preparing foods without washing hands and using soiled gloves. A serious citation was issued.

One of the doors was not rodent-proofed and the pest control logbook was incomplete, earning another serious violation. The manager on duty also did not have proper sanitation certification.

An exposed handsink in the food service area, thermometers and lids on the garbage dumpsters were missing from the restaurant.

The shelving, fan covers and walk-in cooler all need to be detail-cleaned.

Lil Guys and My Pie Too, 2010 N. Damen Ave.
Inspection date: June 26
Results: Pass
Violations: Management needs to repair a water leak at the three-compartment sink and replace cutting boards with deep grooves.

Cortland’s Garage, 1645 W. Cortland St.
Inspection date: June 27
Results: Pass
Violations: This visit was the result of a complaint.  Inspectors found multi-use utensils that weren’t stored properly and dirty fan covers, ice machine and prep table.

Management needs to seal raw wood and bricks in the basement area and repair missing floor tile. Shields are also needed for the lightbulbs.

Tierra Caliente Market, 1402 N. Ashland Ave.
Inspection date: June 27
Results: Fail
Violations: Front and rear doors weren’t rodent-proofed, and that led inspectors to find 9 live fruit flies throughout the premises. That earned the market a serious citation.

All cooked foods need to be labeled and the rust removed from the shelving units. The prep coolers, freezers, deli display, fan filters and walls all need to be cleaned of food and debris.

Coolers were missing thermometers and food wasn't stored away from floors and walls. Management needs to provide light shield covers and cutting boards without grooves that hold bacteria.

The market is also operating without a certified food manager on site.

Dimo’s Pizza Six Corners, 1615 N. Damen Ave.
Inspection date: June 27
Results: Fail
Violations: The new pizza place was missing a pest control logbook on site and didn’t have the doors rodent-proofed.

Management needs to completely remove plumbers putty around the gaskets in all sinks throughout the food prep area. 

Missing from the restaurant is a barrier between the front food prep area and the south entry doorway, thermometers in the coolers and lighting at the hood areas. 

Unnecessary articles were also found on the premises.