The state shut 11 restaurants in Broward and Palm Beach counties during the week of July 28, including one with “rodent nesting materials” found in the kitchen and others with rodent droppings in various areas.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spotted a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
BROWARD COUNTY
Diner by the Sea
215 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Ordered shut: Aug. 2-3; reopened Aug. 7
Why: 14 violations (three high-priority), including about 44 rodent droppings in kitchen areas such as “under microwave on shelf,” “on prep table under and behind steam table” and “on top of dish washing machine.”
Three dead roaches were found “under triple sink,” “next to stove in kitchen” and “on shelf at front counter.”
Other violations included:
- Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris “behind stove in prep room”
- “Standing water on floor behind ice machine”
- “Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine”
A stop sale was ordered for commercially processed, reduced-oxygen packaged fish. The reason: It had “a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use [but was] no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package.”
The diner remained closed the next day when a follow-up inspection found eight violations (including one high-priority). It reopened after a third inspection found six violations (four intermediate and two basic), but a follow-up inspection is required.
Stoner’s Pizza Joint
1509 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: July 31 and Aug. 1-2; reopened Aug. 2
Why: 11 violations (two high-priority), including about 13 rodent droppings in an exterior storage unit that “is separate from kitchen and contains a reach-in cooler, reach-in freezer” and pizza boxes, as well as “in hallway leading to triple sink under dunnage racks containing preformed pizza boxes.”
About 10 live flies were seen “in hallway leading to dry storage containing triple sink” and “in kitchen between hand wash sink and flip-top cooler at cook line.” The inspection also found an “accumulation of dead flies on fly sticky trap in kitchen below cook line hand wash sink.”
Other violations included:
- “Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler”
- “Standing water on floor in front of flip-top cooler”
- “Objectionable odor in hallway with bathroom leading [to] storage room with triple sink”
The pizza place remained closed after a next-day inspection found eight violations (two high-priority). A third inspection found six violations, forcing the state to shut Stoner’s again, but it was allowed to reopen later that day after a fourth inspection found five basic violations.
Kasa Champet Restaurant & Lounge
7920 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines
Ordered shut: Aug. 1; reopened Aug. 2
Why: 10 violations (five high-priority), including two live roaches “on ceiling in back room, next to kitchen” and one dead roach “on wall above employee rights poster.” One live fly was seen in the “to-go cashier area away from kitchen.”
Stop sales were ordered for cooked chicken, cooked sausage and shredded lettuce due to “temperature abuse.” The state also found marinade stored in a large bucket left uncovered in a two-door lowboy cooler.
A follow-up inspection the next day found no violations, so Kasa Champet was allowed to reopen.
Mangia & Bevi Pizzeria Napoletana
2378 Weston Road, Weston
Ordered shut: July 29-30; reopened July 31
Why: 14 violations (eight high-priority), including six live roaches seen “on storage rack in the dishwasher/prepping area in kitchen.”
The state found food storage issues, including a box of oil “stored directly on floor” and “raw beef (not commercially packaged) stored above box of cheese.” And stop sales due to “temperature abuse” were ordered for ham, grilled peppers, sausage, Brussels sprouts and tomato sauce.
Also reported: An “employee handled soiled dishes then proceeded to cut cheese without washing hands.”
The restaurant remained closed the next day when a second inspection found three violations (two high-priority). After a third inspection, the pizza place was allowed to reopen with two violations (one high-priority and one intermediate).
Lutong Pinoy 2
9131 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines
Ordered shut: July 29; reopened July 30
Why: 12 violations (two high-priority), including “water and sewage backing up from all floor drains throughout kitchen,” with employees “stepping and walking through sewage water.”
The inspection found “raw shell eggs stored over cooked rice in walk-in cooler,” “containers with cooking oil stored on kitchen floor” and “various food items stored on walk-in freezer floor.” Additionally, an “operator” was seen washing and rinsing food containers and utensils without proper sanitizing process.
Other violations included:
- “Accumulation of black mold-like substance buildup” on air-conditioning vents and ceiling tiles throughout kitchen, as well as on a can opener blade
- “Accumulation of brown-like substance buildup on can opener holster”
The restaurant was allowed to reopen after a next-day inspection found three basic violations.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Island’s Roti Delight
1480 S. Military Trail, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: July 31; reopened Aug. 2
Why: Three violations (two high-priority), including about 26 roaches in the kitchen crawling “around water heater,” “on wall behind triple sink,” “on wall behind prep table” and “out of paper towel dispenser.”
Additionally, more than 100 dead roaches were found throughout the restaurant.
The inspection also found “portioned bags of raw chicken stored over raw goat” in a reach-in freezer.
Island’s reopened two days later when a follow-up inspection found no violations.
IHOP
1503 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Aug. 1; reopened Aug. 2
Why: Five violations (all high-priority), including about 11 rodent droppings in kitchen areas such as “on floor next to walk-in cooler,” “on floor under dish machine,” “on floor in dry storage area” and “on floor at expo line.”
The report also noted the presence of “rodent nesting materials,” including “chewed/gathered insulation/debris in kitchen behind water heater.”
An employee was seen cracking raw shell eggs and then handling a clean plate to serve a cooked omelet without washing hands.
Other violations included:
- “Portioned bags of raw chicken stored over portioned bags of raw shrimp” in a freezer
- Raw shell eggs/liquid eggs with no time mark at the cook line
IHOP reopened the next day after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Tacos Al Carbon Bar & Grill
2161 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Aug. 1; reopened Aug. 2
Why: Nine violations (eight high-priority), including about 30 rodent droppings around the kitchen — “on shelves over prep table/sink,” “in prep sink,” “on floor in prep area,” in “dry storage area on top of single-service article boxes,” “on top of food storage containers/shelves to left of microwave,” “on floor in liquor storage area” and “on floor around ice machine.”
According to the report, an employee “handled soiled dishes while carrying to dish area and then returned to cook line and began preparing food without washing hands.” The state also noted the presence of “raw chicken stored over cooked beans” in a reach-in cooler and “portioned raw chicken stored over raw fish” in a reach-in freezer.
Food temperature issues included the restaurant’s cooked seafood soup and cooked tomatoes “being cooled by nonapproved method.” Additionally, stop sales were ordered for its raw beef, raw chicken, cooked beans and cut tomatoes.
A next-day inspection found no violations and the restaurant reopened.
Quates Mexican Restaurant II
9858 Clint Moore Road, Suite 134, Boca Raton
Ordered shut: July 31; reopened Aug. 1
Why: Six violations (one high-priority), including about 34 roaches in the dining room “on underside of table at beverage station,” “on ground at beverage station” and “on electrical cord behind beverage station”; in the ware washing area “in between wall and triple sink” and “on wall above triple sink”; and in the kitchen “on wall in linen washing area,” “on ground under flat top on cook line” and inside “wheel of two-door low-top cooler on cook line,” among other areas.
About 13 dead roaches were found “on dining room table,” “on shelf at beverage station in dining room,” “on ground in linen washing area in kitchen,” “on shelf in liquor storage room” and “inside of control device at bar.”
The inspection also found stained/soiled cutting boards with cut marks that are no longer cleanable.
Quates was able to reopen after a next-day inspection found four violations (three intermediate, one basic); a follow-up inspection is required.
China Lane Restaurant
6619 Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach
Ordered shut: July 29; reopened July 30
Why: Nine violations (five high-priority), including about 12 rodent droppings in the kitchen “on top of dish machine” and “on ground under dish shelf in ware washing area.”
Also in the kitchen, the inspection found about 14 live and four dead roaches, in areas such as “on prep table holding rice warmers in front of cook line,” “on right-side rice warmer in front of cook line,” “on underside of shelving above cook line flip-tops” and “on shelf under steam table on cook line.”
Other violations included:
- “Raw beef stored above ready-to-eat green beans in two-door glass slider on cook line”
- “Printed menus used to line pan of green beans in direct contact”
- “Bin containing prescription medication/medications stored on shelf above cook line with single-service items”
The restaurant reopened the next day after a follow-up inspection found one basic violation.
Gabriel’s Cafe & Grill
12793 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite G, Wellington
Ordered shut: July 29; reopened July 30
Why: Four violations (all high-priority), including about 25 rodent droppings “under dry storage shelf near prep area,” “on shelf where container of nuts are stored in dry storage area” and “under table beside dishwasher in kitchen.”
The inspection found food temperature issues with the restaurant’s whipped butter, cheese, chocolate milk and whole milk, and a stop sale was ordered for the pico de gallo salsa.
A dishwasher was seen handling dirty dishes then clean dishes without changing gloves or washing hands.
Gabriel’s was allowed to reopen after a next-day inspection visit found two high-priority violations. Another follow-up inspection is required.
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