Inspectors: 'Black Slime' Drips on Clarke's Ready-to-Eat Ice; Flies at Potbelly

Patch examined some of this winter's food inspection reports in Lincoln Park.

Information, which is dated Feb. 28 to March 17, has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program.

Businesses 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 they 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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Subway, 1730 W. Fullerton Ave.

Inspection date: Feb. 28
Results: Pass.
Comments: There are no comments included in the report.

Potbelly Sandwich Works, 1422 W. Webster Ave.

Inspection date: Feb. 28
Results: Fail.
Comments: Inspectors said staff at Potbelly were not keeping a required written log detailing rodent proofing measures. They found about 50 drain flies at the front ice cream prep station, under the ice cream freezer and around the freezer compressor, the said. There were also 10 to 20 flies around a soda dispensing system, where there was soda spilled on the floor, the report said. There was a 1/2-inch gap at the bottom of a door that was missing its rubber stripping. "Observed employees repeatedly put on, take off and use rubber gloves to prepare foods without washing hands in between changing each pair," inspectors also wrote, in the report. The restaurant passed a re-inspection on March 11.

Pequod's Pizza, 2207 N. Clybourn Ave.

Inspection date: Feb. 28
Results: Pass.
Comments: The inside of a tall reach-in cooler needed to be cleaned, according to the report. Inspectors also said all bulk flour containers should be properly labeled. Rust and debris on the shelves of a walk-in cooler needed to be removed, inspectors said, and peeling paint on the wall needed fixing.

The Beer Bistro, 1415 W. Fullerton Ave.

Inspection date: March 6
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: Both chemical dish machines behind the bar were not properly dispensing chlorine sanitizer while dishes were being washed, inspectors said. The machines were tagged for inspection and possible repair. Managers were asked to install a splash guard between the cook's line and exposed hand sink. All bulk food containers should be properly labeled, inspectors wrote in the report. Holes in a wall must be repaired, they said. The restaurant fully passed a March 7 re-inspection. 

Pizzeria da Nella, 1441-1445 W. Fullerton Ave.

Inspection date: March 6
Results: Pass.
Comments: A consumer advisory must be posted and available to customers, the report said. Inspectors said staff should not reuse single-service utensils. Exposed tablewares must be covered or wrapped and damaged ceramic tiles must be repaired. The inside of the ice machine was dirty and in need of cleaning.

Goose Island Brewing Co., 1800 N. Clybourn Ave.

Inspection date: March 6
Results: Pass.
Comments: Staff were asked to stop reusing single-service utensils. Knives were being stored improperly between prep tables. A table top can opener was encrusted with food debris, the report said, and a wall behind a compartment sink was in poor shape (chipping and peeling paint). A spray arm for one of the sinks was encrusted with food, inspectors said, and charcoal was being stored improperly.

Homeslice Wheel House, 934-938 W. Webster Ave.

Inspection date: March 7
Results: Pass.
Comments: All unnecessary construction material in the basement must be removed, inspectors said. All other items there must be elevated off the floor and organized.

The Squared Circle, 2418 N. Ashland Ave.

Inspection date: March 7
Results: Pass.
Comments: Inspectors asked that both washroom doors have a "self-closing device." They also said managers must provide internal thermometers for the walk-in cooler and cooks' line cooler. Holes in a cement wall at a rear hand sink must be repaired to ensure the space is easily cleanable, the report says. A leaky nozzle needed repair and a light shield was needed in the hallway. "All construction debris boxes and materials must be removed from rear alleyway, rear metal door garbage corral and throughout basement," the report said.

Thai Wild Ginger Restaurant, 2203 N. Clybourn Ave.

Inspection date: March 11
Results: Fail.
Comments: Inspectors found several foods being stored in improper temperatures including three pounds of beef, five pounds of hickey, two pounds of shrimp, 10 pounds of cooked tofu, eight pounds of cooked rice and cooked noodles. Those foods were discarded. The chemical dish machine was not dispensing sanitizer, inspectors said. Paper towels and soap were missing from some of the hand washing areas. The outdoor garbage cans were overflowing, according to the report. All bulk food storage containers must be cleaned and properly labeled; the basement's walls needed repainting; internal thermometers were needed inside all freezers and refrigerators; and an employee toilet needed fixing. Several areas were identified for cleaning.

Ringo, 2507-2509 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: March 12
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: The sushi prep cooler was found at 50.6 degrees. It was tagged for inspection, as it needs to maintain a temperature of 40 degrees or below, the report says. About 15 pounds of raw sushi fish including tuna, salmon, escalar and roe were discarded by managers. "Observed cross-contamination of clean pots and pans being stored inside the utility mop sink in the dish washing area," the report said. Employees were asked to wear hair restraints. The restaurant passed a re-inspection on March 13.

Tommy Knuckles, 433 W. Diversey Parkway

Inspection date: March 12
Results: Fail.
Comments: An outside garbage can was overflowing with garbage and construction debris, the report said. All garbage must be removed. The nozzle on a bar compartment sink did not reach all three compartments of the sink, inspectors said, and a splash guard must be added between the bar sink and prep table. The ice bin needed a lid and a leak under a bar sink was in need of repair. Parts of the bar area were described as "extremely dirty" and cooler floors had food spillage on them. The restaurant passed a re-inspection on March 13, when the only violations listed included cracked tile near a baseboard and food splatter on the walls of two coolers.

Kentucky Fried Chicken, 748 W. Diversey Parkway

Inspection date: March 13
Results: Fail.
Comments: The outside garbage cans were "overflowing with bags of food garbage and cardboard boxes," inspectors said. Managers were told to remove all overflowing garbage to allow the cans' lids to close and provide more frequent garbage pickup and larger or additional containers. internal thermometers were needed in a walk-in cooler and broken tiles under the frying equipment needed replacing. There was pooling liquid and food debris between tiles of the chicken walk-in cooler, according to the report. The business passed a reinspection March 30.

Macku, 2239 N. Clybourn Ave.

Inspection date: March 15
Results: Pass.
Comments: All bulk food containers need to be properly labeled, inspectors said, and dirty food containers needed cleaning. "Shelving throughout front sushi prep with dirt and debris. Must clean," inspectors also wrote. They detailed a few areas for cleaning and also said employees in the prep area needed to wear hats or hair restraints. They said internal thermometers needed to be placed inside the cooks' line cooler.

Clarke's, 2441-2445 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: March 12
Results: Fail.
Comments: Inspectors saw "cross contamination" after random check of cleaned, stored dishes. They counted eight plates with encrusted food on them, they said. They told staff members to re-wash all dishware. A certified food manager wasn't on site when potentially hazardous foods were being prepared and served, the report says. Black slime was found in the inside, upper water reservoir for the ice machine. " … Black slime substance on all areas of water and ice contact surfaces and dripping down into ready-to-eat ice," the report says. Previous minor violations, including a leaky sink, had not been repaired. Several other violations were also listed.

Next Door Cafe, 659 W. Diversey Parkway

Inspection date: March 11
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: An employee was using a glove on only one hand while preparing food during the inspection, the report said. "Also observed same employee wiping off knife used to cut the fruit with a dirty rag on the cutting board not being stored in a sanitizing solution," inspectors continued. Managers were told to review good hygienic practices with the employee. The low-temperature dish machine was not dispensing chlorine sanitizer while dishes were being washed, the report said. It was tagged for inspections. Employees were told to wear hair nets or hats while preparing food. The inside of the ice machine was dirty.

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