NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed January 3 - January 10

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 Jan. 3.

Manhattan

Gotham Pizza (144 9th Avenue)

Violation Points: 58

• Wiping cloths not stored clean and dry, or in a sanitizing solution, between uses.
• Wash hands sign not posted near or above handwashing sink.
• Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
• Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint, not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
• 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.
• Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.

Mee Noddle Shop (223 1st Avenue)

Violation Points: 86

• Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
• Sewage disposal system is not provided, improper, inadequate or unapproved.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
• Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint, not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
• Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area.
• Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.

Sip & Scoop (569 Lexington Avenue)

Violation Points: 68

• Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
• 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.
• Anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.

Emmy Squared Pizza (311 West 48th Street)

Violation Points: 65

• 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.
• Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
• 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.
• Dishwashing and ware washing: Cleaning and sanitizing of tableware, including dishes, utensils, and equipment deficient.
• Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint, not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.

Brooklyn

Ewe's Delicious Treats, African Restaurant (453 Pennsylvania Avenue)

Violation Points: 73

• Food, supplies, and equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• 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.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• 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 mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food not cooked to required minimum internal temperature. • Poultry, poultry parts, ground and comminuted poultry, all stuffing containing poultry, meats, fish or ratites to or above 165 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process • Ground meat, and food containing ground and comminuted meat, to or above 158 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process, except per individual customer request• Pork, any food containing pork to or above 150 °F for 15 seconds• Mechanically tenderized or injected meats to or above 155 °F.• Whole meat roasts and beef steak to or above required temperature and time except per individual customer request• Raw animal foods cooked in microwave to or above165 °F, covered, rotated or stirred • All other foods to or above 140 °F for 15 seconds; shell eggs to or above 145 °F for 15 seconds except per individual customer request.
• 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.
• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.

Queens

Sushi Island (8718 Queens Boulevard)

Violation Points: 82

• 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.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Food worker/food vendor does not use utensil or other barrier to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.
• Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• Personal cleanliness is inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint, not worn where required. Jewelry worn on hands or arms. Fingernail polish worn or fingernails not kept clean and trimmed.
• Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
• Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.