Rodent droppings turned up at two of the three South Florida restaurants the state temporarily closed last week. Inspectors found them on top of a pizza oven, on a “prep table next to dough trays” and on large containers of rice, among other areas.
Meanwhile, a third restaurant was cited for issues including live and dead roaches, “temperature abuse” and a wound wash stored over soda syrup boxes.
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 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. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
Palm Beach County
Marco’s Pizza
8755 Hypoluxo Road, No. 3, Lake Worth
Ordered shut: June 18
Why: Five violations (three high-priority), including:
• About nine rodent droppings “on top of pizza oven,” “on prep table next to dough trays” and “in bathroom next to toilet bowl cleaner.”
• One “small beetle crawling on side of mop sink.”
• One fly “landing on clean and sanitized dishes on storage rack.”
• “Floor soiled behind reach-in coolers and dough mixer with accumulation of corn meal, pizza toppings and old chicken wing.”
Status: Reopened June 19 after a follow-up visit found one basic violation.
East Ocean Cafe
412 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach
Ordered shut: June 17
Why: 16 violations (six high-priority), including:
• Five live roaches “on floor of walk-in cooler” and “crawling on corkboard in back prep area.”
• Six dead roaches “on floor of walk-in cooler” and “on adhesive trap under prep table where slicer is located.”
• “Raw smoked salmon over relish at walk-in cooler.”
• Stop sale ordered for milk and almond milk “due to temperature abuse.”
• Time/temperature issue also involved raw shell eggs.
• “Observed hydrogen peroxide, wound wash, shampoo over bag-in-box soda syrups in back prep area.”
Status: Reopened June 18 after a second inspection found five intermediate and basic violations. A follow-up inspection was required.
Broward County
Tee Jay Thai Sushi
2254 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Ordered shut: June 17
Why: 11 violations (four high-priority), including:
• About 70 rodent droppings “in the dry storage area on the floor,” “on boxes of single-service items” and “on the outside of large plastic containers of rice.”
• “Hole in wall” and “objectionable odor” in dry storage area “where rodent droppings were found.”
• “Medicine stored over ready-to-eat sauces and garlic in the storage area in the kitchen.”
• “Raw steak not in its commercial packaging stored over ready-to-eat spring rolls and raw masago stored over ready-to eat-berries in the walk-in cooler.”
Status: Reopened June 18 after a next-day visit found no violations.