PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Out of four South Florida restaurants temporarily shut by the state last week, three had issues with hand washing. Or a lack thereof.
Employees were observed touching raw meat, dirty dishes or wiping their face without properly sanitizing. Other violations included live and dead roaches, flies buzzing around a kitchen and a “microwave soiled with food debris.”
Our news partners at The South Florida Sun Sentinel typically highlight restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. They cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for 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 spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, visit myfloridalicense.com.
Palm Beach County
Caribbean Teeze Restaurant
6295 Lake Worth Road, Suite 32, Greenacres
Ordered shut: Feb. 27
Why: Three high-priority violations, including:
About eight live roaches “by handwash sink” and “behind steam table.” “Employee handled dirty dishes then grabbed pan of chopped garlic” without washing hands. Time/temperature issue involved fried plantain.
Status: Closed Feb. 28 after a second visit found one high-priority violation. Reopened March 2 after a third inspection found no violations.
Inti Peruvian Cuisine
2800 N. Military Trail, No. 103, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Feb. 23
Why: Three violations (one high-priority), including:
Five live roaches “under three-compartment sink” and “behind low-boy cooler at cook line.” About 53 dead roaches “inside the back of the low-boy cooler where the compressor is” and “under three-compartment sink.” “At cook line, microwave soiled with food debris.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 24 after a reinspection found no violations.
MacArthur’s Bar & Grill (inside Palm Beach Gardens Marriott)
4000 RCA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens
Ordered shut: Feb. 27
Why: Six violations (five high-priority), including:
About 32 live flies on butter spray and bread, as well as in areas such “on walls near bread station,” “on dish-cleaning rack at dish washing station,” “on clean dishes at dish washing area” and “on ceiling tiles throughout kitchen.” (Stop sale ordered for butter spray and bread.) “Operator wiped face and, without washing hands, handled multiple containers in reach-in cooler.” “Non-commercially packaged raw salmon stored above non-commercially packaged sauce.” “Raw shrimp stored above cooked grits and cooked wings.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 28 after a follow-up visit found no violations.
Broward County
Basilic Vietnamese Grill
218 E. Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
Ordered shut: Feb. 23
Why: 14 violations (five high-priority), including:
About four live roaches “on top of reach-in freezer across from walk-in cooler — under to-go containers” and “on empty 5-gallon bucket container next to dry storage shelving in kitchen.” “Cook touched raw beef then changed gloves and began cutting potatoes without first washing hands.” “Cook touched visibly soiled lower [flip-top] cover then began to prepare raw beef.” Stop sale ordered for cooked potato wedges and cream “due to temperature abuse.” “Cookline hand sink blocked by trash can,” and missing soap and “paper towels or mechanical hand drying device.”
Status: Reopened Feb. 24 after a follow-up visit found one basic violation.