NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed January 31 - Febuary 7

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. 31.

Manhattan

Joe Coffee (186 5th Avenue)

Violation Points: 30

• 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.
• 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.

EJ BBQ & Sushi (168 West 125th Street)

Violation Points: 67

• 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.
• Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. Surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
• 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.
• Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
• 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.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Norimen (50 Bowery)

Violation Points: 71

• Insufficient or no hot holding, cold storage or cold holding equipment provided to maintain Time/Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS) at required temperatures.
• 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.
• Single service article not provided. Single service article reused or not protected from contamination when transported, stored, dispensed. Drinking straws not completely enclosed in wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device.
• 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.
• No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.

Brooklyn

Little Zelda (728A Franklin Avenue)

Violation Points: 27

• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.
• 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.

Empire Chinese (2702 Avenue U)

Violation Points: 36

• Contract with a pest management professional not in place. Record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
• 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.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
• Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.

Golden Dragon (394 Metropolitan Avenue)

Violation Points: 53

• Evidence of rats or live rats in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• 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.
• Hot TCS food item not held at or above 140 °F.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.

Queens

Island Girls Kitchen (11219 Linden Boulevard)

Violation Points: 14

• Toilet facility not maintained or provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle or self-closing door.
• Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
• Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.