Restaurant inspections: Bugs in whiskey, old curry, bleach on drink machine in Wichita KS
Ten restaurants and other businesses in the Wichita area were out of compliance during Kansas Department of Agriculture food safety and lodging inspections conducted Feb. 12-18.
Information about the Sedgwick County businesses and their violations, compiled Feb. 24, appears in an alphabetical list below with a summary of the problems inspectors noted on their reports. More details are posted in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.
More than 50 establishments passed their inspections with few or no violations that same week. Those also appear alphabetically below. Some may have appeared on a prior non-compliant inspection list.
Business owners who want to clarify or comment on inspection results can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Comments will be added to online stories.
Failing an inspection doesn’t necessarily mean a business has to close; that’s rare. Most violations are minor and are corrected by an establishment as an inspection is taking place.
Businesses fall out of compliance with state rules when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, such as pest infestations or broken plumbing.
When a business fails, it’s usually inspected again within 10 days.
You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Out-of-compliance inspections
The Beacon Restaurant, 909 E. Douglas in Wichita — Five violations during a Feb. 13 routine inspection. Cited over sausage and bacon that wasn’t kept cold enough in refrigeration, bucket of pancake batter and eggs weren’t kept cold enough, cook touched cheese with his bare hands, raw liquid eggs stored above cooked chorizo sausage and cooked turkey in refrigeration, cooked potatoes didn’t get cold enough in refrigeration overnight. Next inspection: Feb. 23.
Burgardt Retail Liquor, 3027 E. Pawnee in Wichita — One violation during a Feb. 14 routine inspection. Cited for not sanitizing growlers. Next inspection: Feb. 25.
Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe, 11317 E. 13th St. in Wichita — Six violations during a Feb. 14 routine inspection. Cited for not labeling carton of half-and-half with package opening date, “small winged insects” inside whiskey bottles, employee didn’t wash hands after handling dirty dishes, taco meat and cheese sauce wasn’t hot enough in steam wells, old enchilada sauce, clean pans “soiled with food residue.” The next inspection date wasn’t included in a report published online.
Dunkin’ Donuts/Chick-Fil-A/River City Brewing Company (at Eisenhower National Airport), 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Parkway Ave. in Wichita — Twelve violations during a Feb. 13 inspection prompted by a complaint. Cited over a plumbing issue, chemical bottle wasn’t labeled with contents, bucket of queso didn’t get cold enough overnight in refrigeration, cream wasn’t labeled with package opening date, chipped and cracked spatula, spoiling tomato, sausage patties weren’t kept cold enough, several old food items including pizza sauce and beer batter, old spinach dip and shake mix base, bleach stored on top of hot drink machine, chemical bottles facing clean dishes, pasta wasn’t labeled with preparation date, omelet ingredients including meat and egg mix weren’t cold enough, sticker residue on clean pans. Next inspection: Feb. 24.
El Rio Bravo Supermarket, 2501 S. Seneca in Wichita — Six violations during a Feb. 16 routine inspection. Cited for not keeping tamales hot enough, “unlabeled black bucket with a clear liquid” inside, not enough sanitizer in bucket, hash browns weren’t stored in freezer, foods including meat and cheese weren’t cold enough in refrigerated preparation table, dairy products and meats weren’t cold enough in cooler. Next inspection: Feb. 26.
IHOP, 515 S. Ridge Circle in Wichita — Seven violations during a Feb. 16 inspection prompted by a complaint. Cited for thawing salmon in intact vacuum packaging which can lead to botulism, several foods in refrigeration including meats and cheeses weren’t cold enough, plumbing issue, no hot water at cook line hand-washing sink, cook didn’t wash hands or change gloves after handling raw eggs, raw eggs stored above packages of cooked rice and sauce cups in cooler, buckets of sanitizer were the wrong concentration. Next inspection: Feb. 26.
Larkspur Bistro and Bar, 904 E. Douglas in Wichita — Six violations during a Feb. 16 inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Cited for not having hot water at hand-washing sink, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, several foods in walk-in cooler including Alfredo sauce and artichoke cream dip weren’t labeled with opening or preparation dates, old pasta bowls and cauliflower, old marinara sauce and garlic aioli, old chicken curry and dressings, old salmon, ham and tiramisu weren’t labeled with package opening or preparation dates, no soap at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: April 18.
Riverside Cafe, 9125 W. Central in Wichita — One violation during a Feb. 13 follow-up inspection. Cited for not keeping milk cold enough. Next inspection: April 13.
The Sandbox at Derby, 2412 N. Rock Road in Derby — Nine violations during a Feb. 13 inspection that was its first operational inspection after licensing. Cited over old cheese sauce, salmon was thawed in intact vacuum packages which can lead to botulism, corn and gravy weren’t labeled with preparation dates, buttermilk was too warm, raw chicken stored over container of raw fish at breading station, no sanitizer testing kit on site, pulled pork wasn’t hot enough, no sanitizer hooked up to dishwashing machine, buttermilk stored over cooked shrimp, raw fish stored above cooked beef, no paper towels at hand-washing sink. The business was still out of compliance with two violations during a Feb. 23 follow-up inspection, an online report shows.
VenuWorks of Wichita Catering LLC (at Hartman Arena), 8151 Hartman Arena Dr. in Park City — Four violations during a Feb. 16 routine inspection. Cited over a cook who didn’t wash his hands while changing disposable gloves, bartender wiped her hands on her pants and touched her hair without washing hands, bartender touched ice for customer drink with bare hands, mini corn dogs weren’t kept hot enough. Next inspection: Feb. 26.
These businesses passed their inspections:
13th Street Market, 1802 E. 13th St. #600 in Wichita
The 3 Amigos, 2317 N. Arkansas in Wichita
Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant, 452 S. Ridge Road in Wichita
Air Capital Bar (at Eisenhower National Airport), 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Pkwy. in Wichita
Air Capital Market (at Eisenhower National Airport), 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Pkwy.-Terminal 3 Space #2-210-E00 in Wichita
Aviators Cafe (at Eisenhower National Airport), 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Pkwy. in Wichita
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 125 N. Quentin in Wichita
Blue Fin Sake Bar and Sushi, 255 N. Washington in Wichita
Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store, 2223 W. 21st St. in Wichita
Broadway Smoke & Convenience Store, 1205 S. Broadway in Wichita
Candle Club, 6135 E. 13th St. in Wichita
Charley’s Philly Cheesesteaks (in Towne East Square mall), 7700 E. Kellogg Dr., Ste. VC06 in Wichita
Chipotle Mexican Grill, 535 S. Rock Road in Wichita
Clark Elementary School, 650 S. Apache in Wichita
Eisenhower High School, 1230 S. 167th St. West in Goddard
Explorer Elementary School, 16746 W. Explorer St. in Goddard
Gateway Alternative Program Center, 2330 W. 15th St. in Wichita
Grab & Fly (at Eisenhower National Airport), 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Pkwy. in Wichita
Great Harvest Bread Company, 535 N. Woodlawn, Ste. 150 in Wichita
Hardee’s, 1320 N. Tyler in Wichita
Hibachi Boy, 2243 N. Tyler, Ste. 119 in Wichita
HTeaO, 1280 N. Tyler in Wichita
Lava & Tonic, 1716 E. Douglas in Wichita
LaVela, 6147 E. 13th St. in Wichita
Leslie Coffee Company, 930 W. Douglas, Ste. A in Wichita
Little Early Childhood Education Center, 1613 N. Piatt in Wichita
Maize Central Elementary School, 304 W. Academy in Maize
Maize South Intermediate School, 9701 W. 37th St. North in Wichita
Mary’s Pizza Italian Kitchen (at Towne East Square mall), 7700 E. Kellogg, Ste. 1014 in Wichita
Ming’s Cantonese Restaurant, 1625 S. Seneca in Wichita
Mr. B’s Daylight Donuts, 226 N. Main St. in Goddard
Myers Mushrooms, 7005 S. Meridian in Haysville
New China Super Buffet, 4858 S. Broadway in Wichita
Omelette Pages, 220 W. Douglas in Wichita
Panda Chinese, 1228 SE Louis Blvd., Ste. B in Mulvane
Park Hill Elementary School, 1500 E. Woodbrook in Derby
Peterson Elementary School, 9710 W. Central in Wichita
Pho Cao, 9203 W. Central in Wichita
Pig In Pig Out BBQ, 1003 E. 13th St. in Wichita
Pleasant Valley Elementary School, 2000 W. 29th St. North in Wichita
PourHouse, 711 E. Douglas, Ste. 105 in Wichita
Ricos Elotes y Mas #2 (at Towne East Square mall), 7700 E. Kellogg Dr. in Wichita
Seltzer Elementary School, 11660 E. Lincoln in Wichita
Sonesta Simply Suites Wichita Airport, 570 S. Julia St. in Wichita
St. Jude Catholic School, 3030 N. Amidon in Wichita
Starbucks, 2241 N. Maize in Wichita
Swaney Elementary School, 501 English in Derby
Tacos Alex, 711 W. 25th St. North in Wichita
Tacos Perez, 2347 N. Arkansas in Wichita
Trinity Academy High School, 12345 E. 21st St. in Wichita
Twin Peaks (3B Lodge III), 7325 W. Taft in Wichita
Twin Peaks (3B Lodge IV), 8310 E. 21st St. in Wichita
Wichita East High School, 2301 E. Douglas in Wichita
Wingstop, 7809 E. Harry in Wichita
How to complain
If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.
To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, call the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
