Filthy Kitchens, Rats And Roaches: See The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed This Week

NEW YORK, NY — Filth flies, roaches, mice and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn't know about. Fortunately for the diner’s health, New York City’s Health Department is looking.

Every year, inspectors go unannounced into more than 24,000 restaurants in the city. Of them, the majority are fine, but some fall disgustingly short of the city’s cleanliness requirements.

The most common violations, according to the city, are food stored at wrong temperatures, vermin, "plumbing" issues (the mind boggles) and basic food safety protocols not being followed.

Every week, Patch will tell you which restaurants have gotten the chop – try not to read over your lunch break. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Inspection scores above 28 earn eateries a C grade and extra close monitoring from the city’s health department – which could decide to shut it down.

These are the restaurants closed down since Aug. 30, 2017, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan

PICK-A-BAGEL/DUMPLING ROOM

35 WEST END AVENUE

Violation points: 35

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

EAST SIDE BAGEL CAFE
1496 FIRST AVENUE

Violation points: 37

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Thawing procedures improper.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

ASHAMI SHANGHAI

513 SIXTH AVE

Violation points: 38

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Brooklyn

JALISCO GROCERY

1738 BATH AVE

Violation points: 47

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

EFES CAFE BAKERY
601 BRIGHTON BEACH AVE

Violation points: 53

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.

CROWN FRIED CHICKEN
842 ROCKAWAY AVE

Violation points: 24

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

Queens

ANTHONY'S
22202 UNION TPKE

Violation points: 97

• Food, food preparation area, food storage area, area used by employees or patrons, contaminated by sewage or liquid waste.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.
• No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

TASTY FRIED CHICKEN
13419 LIBERTY AVE

Violation points: 42

• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

CREOLE BUFFET RESTAURANT
215-07 JAMAICA AVENUE

Violation points: 83

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
• Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Covered garbage receptacle not provided or inadequate, except that garbage receptacle may be uncovered during active use. Garbage storage area not properly constructed or maintained; grinder or compactor dirty.
• Thawing procedures improper.
• Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
• Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

XAHAR HALAL THAI
7917 ATLANTIC AVE

Violation points: 57

• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

SPICE
10005 ATLANTIC AVE

Violation points: 73

• Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
• Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

MI ESPIGUITA
3244 31ST ST

Violation points: 77

• Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
• Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
• Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Image via Pixabay