Three live rodents found in a kitchen stuck to a glue trap, about six weevils crawling inside a flour container, and “living/sleeping quarters” directly open to an ice cream shop — these violations and more forced the state to temporarily shut seven South Florida restaurants last week.
The 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 spot 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
Dave & Buster’s
3000 Oakwood Blvd., Hollywood
Ordered shut: Oct. 10
Why: Five violations (one high-priority), including:
12 live roaches in kitchen areas such as “on ground next to flat top on cook line,” “in wheel of drawers under flat-top unit,” “on doors to three-door, reach-in cooler at expo line,” “on control device inside of three-door, reach-in cooler at expo line,” “on wall under hand wash sink in prep area behind cook line” and “on ground under four-door, reach-in cooler in prep area behind cook line.”
27 dead roaches in kitchen areas such as “in gasket of top left drawers under flat-top unit on cook line,” “inside of two control devices inside of three-door, reach-in cooler at expo line,” “inside of not-in-use, three-drawer warmer at expo line,” “on ground under three-compartment sink in prep area behind cook line,” “on ground in front of four-door, reach-in freezer” and “on ground in break room.”
Status: Reopened later the same day after a reinspection found one basic violation.
Express Caribbean Restaurant
1401 S. State Road 7, North Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Oct. 6
Why: Two high-priority violations, including:
“At kitchen, 3 live rodents on glue trap near hand wash sink.”
Time/temperature issue involved pikliz.
Status: Reopened Oct. 7 after a follow-up visit found no violations.
Areito Bar & Restaurant
2022 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
Ordered shut: Oct. 6
Why: 20 violations (five high-priority), including:
About 12 live roaches in kitchen “on control device located in wall on top of beverage lines under hand wash sink” and “on ground and on underside under cook line flip-top cooler.”
About seven dead roaches in kitchen “on control device located in wall on top of beverage lines under hand wash sink,” “on ground at hand wash sink,” “inside of fryer door on cook line” and “on ground in front of fryer.”
“Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin.”
“Raw bacon stored on top of heavy cream in three-door, stainless reach-in cooler.”
“Observed employee handling soiled wares with gloved hands then proceed to handle clean knife without removing gloves and washing hands.”
Stop sale issued for cooked pork and raw beef due to time/temperature issues.
“Soda gun at bar soiled.”
“Water draining onto floor from hand wash sink.”
Status: Reopened Oct. 8 after a second inspection found four intermediate and basic violations, with a follow-up inspection required.
Golden Rose Ice Cream Bar
2733 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Ordered shut: Oct. 9
Why: Two violations (one high-priority), including:
“Establishment operating with no potable running water. No water at front line hand washing sink and triple sink.”
“Living/sleeping quarters that open directly into a public food service establishment without complete partitioning and/or self-closing doors.”
Status: Reopened Oct. 10 after a follow-up inspection found one basic violation.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Burger King
4175 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Oct. 10
Why: 12 violations (eight high-priority), including:
“Standing water in only hand wash sink in kitchen. Wastewater overflows onto floor in kitchen if hands are washed properly.”
“Employee took multiple orders handling customer payment/order entry system/headset/hair, exited and reentered establishment multiple times then prepared and packaged food and drinks for customers without ever washing hands. Employee unable to wash hands properly due to only hand washing sink in kitchen [having] wastewater overfilling onto floor.”
“Employee switched from cooking raw hamburger to preparing ready-to-eat breakfast sandwiches without washing hands.”
“Employee touched handle to walk-in cooler previously observed being soiled by employee with contaminated unwashed hands.”
“At walk-in freezer, opened bags of raw chicken stored over raw hamburger.”
Time/temperature issue involved pasteurized liquid eggs; sliced cheese, sliced tomatoes, cut lettuce and ham had no time mark.
Status: Reopened later the same day after a follow-up visit found one intermediate violation. A follow-up inspection was required.
Aroma Indian Restaurant
731 Village Blvd., Suite 110, West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Oct. 7
Why: 15 violations (11 high-priority), including:
About 30 live flies “in kitchen flying around/landing on prep tables/cutting boards/clean dishes and utensils.”
“Approximately 6 live weevils crawling inside flour storage container.” Stop sale ordered for the flour.
Two live roaches in kitchen crawling on “shelves storing clean/sanitized cooking/food service utensils” and “inside sugar container.” Stop sale ordered for the sugar.
Stop sale also ordered for cooked rice and butter “due to temperature abuse.”
Temperature abuse on cooked chicken, cauliflower and lamb.
“Employee entered kitchen from dining room and began preparing food for customers without washing hands.”
“Employee touched soiled containers/trash while throwing into dumpster then handled clean equipment, clean utensils and began to prepare food for customers without washing hands.”
Status: Remained closed Oct. 8 after a second inspection found seven violations (four high-priority). Reopened later that day after a reinspection found three intermediate and basic violations, with a follow-up inspection required.
Tradicion Michoacana
4556 Cresthaven Blvd., West Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Oct. 7
Why: Four violations (three high-priority), including:
About eight rodent droppings “behind ice cream display cooler at front counter” and in kitchen “on floor under triple sink” and “on floor under/behind freezers.”
“Employee washed hands with no soap in [three-compartment] sink after handling soiled container and before handling clean equipment and food service utensils.”
“Employee washed and rinsed food storage container and then placed to dry/store without sanitizing.”
No date mark on milk.
Status: Reopened Oct. 8 after a reinspection found no violations.