Health Department Closes 2nd Pittsburgh Restaurant This Week

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Allegheny County Health Department has ordered the closure of Took Took, on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, for numerous health code violations.

During an inspection on Tuesday, a fresh mouse dropping observed in a large container of cooked rice. A container of rice observed wrapped in plastic was found with a dropping inside.

A live mouse observed in dough preparation room. Old rodent droppings were observed throughout the restaurant.

It gets worse.

During rodent dropping clean-up, an employee was found observed placing a finger of gloved hand in their mouth. The inspector saw the employee cleaning up rodent dropping wearing the same gloves immediately before observing contact with mouth. The inspector had to order the restaurant manager to tell the employee to remove the gloves and wash their hands.

The dry wiping towel at the prep table at the cookline was found with fresh rodent droppings.

There's more.

Too many to count fresh rodent droppings on the floors throughout the kitchen, especially behind the ice machine and the cookline. Fresh rodent droppings observed in the walk-in cooler, underneath the prep table and on the food contact of the meat grinder.

One recently dead mouse and two decaying dead mice were observed in the rear basement dry storage room.

According to health department documents, "inspector stopped operations during inspection due to overwhelming contamination of kitchen by rodent droppings."

This is the second eatery the health department has shut down in recent days. Exoticz Bar & Restaurant on Smithfield Street, Downtown, also was ordered to close.

A "closed" placard is posted at an establishment when an imminent health hazard is identified at a restaurant or kitchen or if it has been operating without proper permits. It is unlawful to operate a food facility with a "closed" placard.