NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Febuary 21 - 28

NEW YORK CITY — Vermin, dirty dishes and poor personal cleanliness — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they'd rather not share. But New York City's Health Department is watching.

Every year, inspectors arrive unannounced at more than 25,000 restaurants to examine health and safety standards. Most eateries pass inspections, but some fall short of the city's standards, accruing violation points for everything from broken light bulbs to "public health hazards," like vermin and failure to follow food safety protocols.

Restaurants hit with non-food-safety violations might get a fine or a lower letter grade, with zero to 13 points warranting an 'A' and violations totaling 28 points or more earning a 'C' (this system is criticized for its efficacy by some gourmands).

Public health hazards that can't be resolved on the spot, like a mouse or fly infestation, pose a bigger issue: immediate closure.

Here's all the eateries that the Department of Health closed down since Feb. 21.

Brooklyn

Koi Omakase (55 5th Avenue)

Violation Points: 53

• Food, supplies, and equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• Cold TCS food item held above 41 °F; smoked or processed fish held above 38 °F; intact raw eggs held above 45 °F; or reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) TCS foods held above required temperatures except during active necessary preparation.
• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Properly scaled and calibrated thermometer or thermocouple not provided or not readily accessible in food preparation and hot/cold holding areas to measure temperatures of TCS foods during cooking, cooling, reheating, and holding.
• Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

Biscotti (701 Bedford Avenue)

Violation Points: Not given

• Failure to comply with an order of the Board of Health, Commissioner or Department.

Queens

Coco Fresh Tea & Juice (18204 Horace Harding Expressway)

Violation Points: 28

Toilet facility not provided for employees or for patrons when required. Shared patron-employee toilet accessed through kitchen, food prep or storage area or utensil washing area.

J.A. Coffee Shop (3519 37th Avenue)

Violation Points: 61

• No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.
• No handwashing facility in or adjacent to the restroom or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Handwashing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.
• Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
• Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
• Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
• After cooking or removal from hot holding, TCS food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °F to 70 °F or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °F to 41 °F or less within 4 additional hours.