Sewage backup and odors at Denny’s among the restaurant filth from Miami to Palm Beach
Humidity bringing the mold and Denny’s bringing the funk in this week’s return of the Sick and Shut Down List from a week of beach vacation.
So, let’s get to it.
THE GROUND RULES: What follows comes from Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation restaurant inspections in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. A restaurant that fails inspection remains closed until passing an inspection.
If you see a problem and want a place inspected, contact the DBPR. We don’t control who gets inspected nor how strictly the inspector inspects.
We don’t include all violations, just the most moving, whether internally or literally moving (because it’s alive or once was alive). Some violations get corrected after the inspector points them out. But, you have to ask, why do the violations exist in the first place? And how long would they have remained if not for the inspection?
We report without passion or prejudice, but with a side dish of humor.
In alphabetical order:
Bahamian Reef Seafood Restaurant, 7836 NW 44th St., Sunrise: Routine inspection, 14 total violations, three High Priority violations.
Right out of the gate, we get this week’s restaurant contestant on “Which Is Worse?”
Is it “one live roach crawling on the cutting board with cut limes?”
Is it “two live roaches crawling on clean plates on a shelf?”
Is it “approximately 50 or more live roaches crawling throughout the kitchen area, on the three-compartment sinks, a prep table, plates and equipment?”
Is it, “approximately 150 or more dead roaches throughout every area in establishment — under the grill area, the three-compartment sink, fryer, dry storage area, stove area, and cookline?”
Or, is it, “approximately 30 rodent droppings on floor under convection oven and microwave shelf at cook line?”
You pick the winner! As a prize for the restaurant, we won’t mention where the other 12 live roaches were spotted.
The cookline cutting boards had “mold build up.” The reach-in cooler and reach-in freezers had grease and food build up.
The Reef has passed re-inspection.
Old food. Dirty equipment. More Presidente stores in Miami and Broward fail inspection
Chela’s Mexican Food & Bar, 11150 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach: Routine inspection, six total violations, two High Priority violations.
Here’s something new: “Food stored in a container that previously held a toxic substance...Green wiping cloth sanitizer bucket used to store cut peppers.”
Yeah, that’s a Stop Sale.
The only handwashing sink in the kitchen was broken, so it really didn’t matter so much that there was no way to dry your hands.
As for the live roach count, it reached 11.
Chela’s passed re-inspection two days later.
Denny’s, 5710 N. University Dr., Tamarac: Complaint inspection, 16 total violations, five High Priority violations.
What the heck can close a Denny’s?
An inspection on which “mold” and the phrase “objectionable odor” appear the way “Dun Dun” appears on a “Law & Order” episode.
The inspector noted “sewage wastewater backing up from the floor drain at the cookline after running handwashing sinks and flushing toilets with an objectionable odor.”
DUN DUN
Only one live roach, but either he or his friends weren’t raised right. There were “five or more roach droppings on floor in the back dining room area...and five or more roach droppings on cook line by microwave shelf and corner of floor by hand washing sink at cookline.”
Nine dead roaches.
“Objectionable odors in cookline, dish area, kitchen area, mop sink area or other areas of the establishment.”
DUN DUN
“Food prep sink at cookline with mold buildup on the inside and exterior of sink.”
DUN DUN
Two dead flies in a cooler. Two live flies in dry storage.
“All reach-in coolers on the cook-line, shelves, drawers and interior of coolers with buildups of grease, mold throughout the coolers.”
DUN DUN
“All walls and shelves throughout the kitchen area with grease and mold buildup.”
DUN DUN
“All floor drains throughout the kitchen area, cookline and dishroom area with heavy grease and food build up and objectionable odor.”
DUN DUN
“Floors with buildup of slime, grease and mold throughout dish area, cook and kitchen area.”
DUN DUN
And, this time, Denny’s brought the ice machine with the “accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior.”
DUN DUN
Denny’s passed re-inspection the next day.
Miami Subs, 891 Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale: Complaint inspection, eight total violations, one High Priority violation.
Seeing a Miami Subs makes middle-aged people smile the same way they do when you mention fanny packs or “American Gladiators.”
The inspector might’ve been one of those people before seeing five live roaches, including two in a cabinet with condiments and two under a prep table.
The wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution wasn’t strong enough.
Some reach-in cooler gaskets were soiled.
This Miami Subs broke through and conquered re-inspection the next day.
Pei Wei Fresh Kitchen, 1831 S. Federal Hwy., Delray Beach: Routine inspection, four total violations, two High Priority violations.
The third chain in a row! A natural hat trick worthy of bringing out Aretha.
Of the 10 live roaches, one was on a magnetic knife holder and six were on the walls and floor near the dishwasher.
Also in the dishwasher neighborhood were over 10 “small flies in and around a towel bucket.”
The floor under the shelves across from the three-compartment sink were described as “soiled/has accumulation of debris.”
Pei Wei passed re-inspection three days later.
A state inspection found ‘rodent-like excreta’ near a Miami spice company’s spices
Marcelo’s Restaurant Pescaderi, 2273 NW 28th St., Miami: Routine inspection, 14 total violations, four High Priority violations.
The inspector counted only one live cockroach, but five pieces of rodent poop.
The Stop Sale lightning hit the fish fritter batter and hush puppies batter, still not under 41 degrees after four hours in the walk-in cooler.
Another problem with the fish fritter batter was the bowl used to scoop it. That means the scooper might get hands in the batter. Yuck.
“Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable.”
Marcelo’s passed re-inspection the next day.
Rob’s Bageland of Tamarac, 8217 N. Pine Island Rd., Tamarac: Routine inspection, 28 total violations, seven High Priority violations.
“Observed accumulation of lime scale on dish racks used to wash dishes inside the dishmachine.”
The dishwasher sanitizer measured only 10 parts per million (it should be at about 200 ppm).
Not hot water at the handwashing sink at the front counter and no soap at the dry storage area handwashing sink.
Can’t wash dishes properly, can’t wash hands properly. What about equipment?
“Observed clean meat slicer not in use with buildup of grease, mold and food debris...can opener blade with mold buildup.”
Oh.
A Stop Sale storm rained on a plethora of food, such as chicken soup; sour cream; cooked chicken; bone-in ham; hot dogs; homemade corn beef hash; canned corn beef hash; feta cheese; blintz mix; boiled potatoes; sausage gravy; potato pancakes; marinated raw chicken; unmarinated raw chicken; French toast bread dipped in eggs; and sauerkraut.
In the walk-in, chicken soup made three days earlier sat uncovered.
“Objectionable odor in prep area and dish area.”
DUN — whoops, sorry...
Rob’s passed re-inspection the next day.
