Fort Greene Indian Restaurant Shut Down For 2nd Time This Year

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — An Atlantic Avenue restaurant was shut down by health inspectors for the second time this year, this time because of mice and roaches, city records show.

Masala Grill, an Indian restaurant at 501b Atlantic Ave., was given 42 violation points during an inspection on Monday after receiving 45 violation points just a few weeks ago during a Feb. 25 inspection. Any score with more than 28 violation points requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to shut down a restaurant.

This time around, inspectors found live roaches and evidence of mice or live mice in the eatery. The restaurant also did not keep hot food items above the required 140 degrees and did not have its facility vermin properly vermin-proof, records show.

An employee who answered the phone at the restaurant on Wednesday confirmed that it was closed down, but said they hope to reopen soon.

"We are cleaning," the employee said.

The person did not answer additional questions about the health inspection scores.

Records show that some of the inspection violations have been problems in the past for the restaurant. Evidence of mice or live mice and a failure to vermin-proof the eatery were also violations on the Feb. 25 inspection.

That inspection also found that cold food items were not kept below 41 degrees, that food surfaces were not properly washed and that there were "filth flies" in the restaurant.