Mouse Droppings Found at Miko's Italian Ice: Health Inspections

Patch examined inspection reports in Bucktown and Wicker Park during May. Information has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program.

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.

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Chicago Cupcake, LLC, 2409 N. Western Ave.
Inspection date: May 15
Results: Pass
Violations: The food truck now has a written rodent inspection log, required plumbing and piping material. All were corrected violations from a previous inspection. 

Miko’s Italian Ice, 1846 N. Damen Ave.
Inspection date: May 17
Results: Fail
Violations: The inspector found about 35 mouse droppings in various areas of the restaurant, particularly in the rear dry storage room, tool room and behind the chest freezers. A log book detailing pest control was not complete, earning a serious violation. 

Management needs to repair a water leak, seal wall openings and provide thermometers for all refrigeration units. Dirty floors also need to be detail-cleaned.

Nick’s Pit Stop, 2011 N. Damen Ave.
Inspection date: may 21
Results: Pass with conditions
Violations: The pit stop’s ice machine was turned off and needs to be sanitized immediately after the inspector found a “black, slimy substance” on the interior water components of the machine.

After that critical citation, management must remove rusty shelving in the walk-in cooler, seal openings on the wall behind the shelves and properly store pots and pans to prevent contamination.

Garden Gourmet Market, 1130 N. Ashland Ave.
Inspection date: May 21
Results: Fail
Violations: The market’s cooler was not connected or working. Since it’s supposed to be at 40 degrees or below, the health inspector failed the establishment.

Caterpillar Care, 1001 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Inspection date: May 21
Results: Fail
Violations: The daycare failed because there was no certified food manager on the premises while cooking and a pest control logbook wasn’t properly maintained.

Coolers at the daycare weren’t working and the sanitizing machine wasn’t cleaning utensils properly. 

Management also needs to install more lighting in the daycare and detail clean all surfaces and floors.