Inspectors: 'Excessive Grease' at Penny's Noodle Soup; Flies at Forza

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

Information, which is dated April 2 to April 16, 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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Austrian Bakery & Deli Inc., 2523 N. Clark St.

Inspection date: April 1
Results: Pass.
Comments: All bulk food containers must be properly labeled, inspectors said, and food and ice dispensing utensils need to be properly stored. Raw, wooden shelving throughout the front prep area must be painted or sealed after food splatter is removed. Several other minor violations were also listed.

The Pita Pit, 2404 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: April 2
Results: Pass.
Comments: All employees in the food preparation area were asked to wear hats or hair restraints and to stop reusing single-service utensils. "Food scoop handles must not be stored inside food," the report said. "Must store in a clean container or with handles extending from foods." The inside of the ice bin and its plastic shoot were dirty, the report said. Several other minor violations were listed.

Trader Joe's East, 1840 N. Clybourn Ave.

Inspection date: April 2
Results: Pass.
Comments: The floor of the first-floor storage locker was found dirty and covered with debris, the report says. Employees were asked to not store their personal belongings in the prep area.

Penny's Noodle Soup, 950 W. Diversey Parkway

Inspection date: April 3
Results: Fail.
Comments: About 20 pounds of egg rolls, cooked beef and cooked chicken were discarded after inspectors said they found them being stored at improper temperatures. Employees were asked to label and date all foods stored in the walk-in coolers. Damaged paint and loose floor tiles were in need of repair. "Excessive grease on floor throughout front wok and cooks' line, under and around deep fryer," the report said. Inspectors also asked that wiping cloths be stored in a clean container with sanitizing solution. The business passed an April 11 re-inspection.

Kyoto, 2534 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: April 3
Results: Fail.
Comments: Inspectors said they found one shellfish tag on the premises for oysters with a shipping date of Feb. 26. "Fresh oysters and mussels were listed on the menu," the report said. "Must retain shellfish tags for a minimum of 90 days." Clean pans, dishes, cutting boards and cooking utensils were being stored inside and on top of a dirty utility mop sink, according to the report. There were no paper towels at a rear hand sink and the towels at the front sushi prep table were not accessible. The inside wooden storage cabinets at the sushi bar were covered with dirt and debris. Inspectors asked that employees not use tin foil as liner for equipment on the cooks' line. "Must replace/repair excessive grease on (the) wall of rear cooks' line," the report said. "Must provide internal thermometer for front sushi … cooler." A leaky sink, "extremely dirty" greasy sink and a dusty wall were in need of cleaning. Several other violations were also listed. The restaurant passed an April 11 re-inspection with conditions.

Webster's Wine Bar, 1480 W. Webster Ave.

Inspection date: April 8
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: The kitchen's dishwashing machine was not dispensing sanitizer, inspectors said, and the machine was tagged for inspection. Bulk food containers in the basement must be properly labeled. The wine bar passed a re-inspection on April 11.

Dunkin Donuts, 2300 N. Clark St.

Inspection date: April 9
Results: Pass.
Comments: The metal rack shelving in the basement's dry food storage area must be moved away from the wall and not under the ceiling or sewer lines. The raw, wooden stairwell to the basement area must be painted and sealed. Missing floor drain covers must be provided and internal cooler thermometers were needed in some freezers and coolers.

A New Leaf, 1816-1820 N. Wells St.

Inspection date: April 9
Results: Pass.
Comments: No comments are listed in the report.

Deleece, 3747 N. Southport Ave.

Inspection date: April 9
Results: Pass.
Comments: Fans inside the walk-in cooler were accumulating with dust and light shields in the walk-in cooler were in need of cleaning. Floor drains under the dish machine were encrusted with dirt and food debris. Wiping cloths were being stored on top of the prep table rather than in a sanitizing solution.

John Barleycorn, 658 W. Belden Ave.

Inspection date: April 11
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: The high-temperature dishwashing machine was not properly maintained, as the temperature gauge was not operational. The machine was tagged for inspection. There were missing drainage lines for soda gun holders throughout both bars, the report said, which must be provided for proper waste liquid drainage. Missing and damaged floor tiles in the dining room needed replacing. A few other minor violations are also listed, including the need to label bulk food storage containers. The bar passed an April 12 re-inspection.

King Crab Tavern Seafood Grill, 1816 N. Halsted St.

Inspection date: April 12
Results: Pass with conditions.
Comments: Inspectors said they saw dishes being washed in the front, prep compartment sink without properly washing, rinsing and sanitizing. The cooks' line exposed hand sink was found with stored dirty dishes inside of it. There were no paper towels at one of the sinks and that sink was dirty with grease and food splatter. Clean dishes were being stored directly on top of the sink. Dirty floors, the cooks' line seafood cooler, inside of the ice machine and wall-mounted fry slicer were all in need of cleaning. Shelving in the basement was found encrusted with grease and food.

Aquitaine, 2221 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: April 15
Results: Pass.
Comments: An internal thermometer must be added to the cooks' line two-door cooler. A consumer advisory must be posted and multi-use and single-use utensils must be properly stored. A metal rack shelving inside a cooks' line cooler had rust and peeling paint on it that needed to be removed. 

Chipotle Mexican Grill, 2256 N. Orchard St.

Inspection date: April 15
Results: Pass.
Comments: A bulk rice container must be labeled, inspectors said, and single-use utensils should not be reused. To-go food containers should not be stored on the outdoor patio walkway. Cooler thermometers must be placed in conspicuous locations and surfaces must be dustless and in good repair. Blackened, moldy wall caulking must be removed or replaced.

Forza, 2476-2478 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: April 16
Results: Fail.
Comments: At the time of inspection, an employee was washing dirty dishes, pots and pans at a compartment sink that was not properly set to wash, rinse and sanitize. About a dozen cooked meat balls were being improperly stored in a covered pan on a shelf. They were discarded. The restaurant had no evidence of rodent or insect proofing; a written log must be maintained and available for inspectors. About 15 to 20 drain flies were found throughout the main bar. Five to 10 files were found at a small rear bar and five were in the basement under the main bar and ceiling plumbing. Employees were asked to not use Duct tape to repair or close the door of an unused cooler in the kitchen. A clogged mop sink, bathroom fan, and leaky nozzle were in need of repair. Several other violations were also listed.

Lincoln Station, 2430-2432 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: April 16
Results: Pass.
Comments: All prepared foods must be labeled and dated, according to the report, and refrigeration thermometers must be placed in conspicuous locations. An open seam at the bottom of one of the coolers needed sealing.