Boston Market, bar flies and ice machine mold among South Florida’s filthy restaurants
We’re going to get right to The Sick and Shut Down List, our weekly listing of South Florida restaurants that failed inspection, but, first based on emails we’ve received...
STOP! RIGHT HERE! STOP! READ THIS! WE BEG OF YOU! 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 state inspection remains closed until passing re-inspection.
If you see a problem and want a place inspected, contact the DBPR. Do not call us. Do not email us. We don’t control who gets inspected nor how strictly the inspector inspects. Let us say that again — we don’t control who gets inspected.
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 what we hope is a heapin’ helping of humor.
In alphabetical order...
Bahamian Reef Seafood Restaurant, 7836 NW 44th St., Sunrise: Eight violations, two High Priority.
Only nine live roaches, but seven of them were “crawling on top of the cutting board.”
“Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Gallon of milk stored inside.” A violation that a) says handwashing is not exactly Nutella-popular in this joint and b) begs the question, “Why is the milk not being kept in the refrigerator?”
The Reef got right for Thursday’s re-inspection.
Bake Shack, 238 Federal Hwy., Dania Beach: Eight total violations, four High Priority.
Not sure if the name’s for activity before or after visiting this restaurant.
The 60 pieces of rodent poo in the dry storage room could be a mousy taunt at the rodent trap in that room.
Three knives were on a dirty prep table. Sure, the staff could’ve run them through the dishwasher, but the dishwasher wasn’t sanitizing.
The coleslaw in the cooler measured 51 degrees. Needed to be at 41 degrees or less. Garbage filler.
They were back open after the Aug. 3 re-inspection.
Boston Market, 12500 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami: Seven total violations, one High Priority violation.
The inspector saw five live roaches on the wall behind the prep table and eight live ones on the wall behind the flour mixer. Two dead roaches lay elsewhere.
“Observed pipe leaking under hand washing sink in kitchen area.” So, either nobody’s washing their hands that often or you need to be Caeleb Dressel to get around the kitchen.
“Observed food debris inside oven.” Get out the Easy Off, Taylor.
Boston Market passed the Aug. 4 re-inspection.
Carrot Express, 10 E. Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton: Eight total violations, six High Priority violations.
Three flies landed on cleaned and sanitized utensils, five landed on dressing bottles and five hung out on the walls outside the dining area restrooms (little freaks). Another 20 were at the laundry bag next to the three-compartment sink and we really don’t want to think about what’s in a fly-magnet laundry bag next to a three-compartment sink.
The label on the store-made juice shots had a name and nothing else, a no-no because such labels have to tell you when it was packaged and where it was prepped.
The rice, quinoa, black beans and soup that needed to be at least 135 degrees for safe hot storage were 115, 115, 115 and 102, respectively.
Passed re-inspection Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Golden Rule Seafood, 17505 S. Dixie Hwy., Palmetto Bay: 22 total violations, three High Priority violations.
Is this Golden Rule “Inflict unto others the filth inflicted onto you?”
Hamburger buns and salad got tossed after the flies used them like the runways at Miami International Airport. Three flies were over the condiment squeeze bottles. Another 19 flies added texture to the air in the kitchen and service area.
The inspector saw a worker dry his hands “multiple times on a dirty apron.”
Happy breathing. “Observed accumulated grease on tiles above kitchen area, also accumulated dust on equipment attached to ceiling to display orders.”
“Observed 2 tiles missing above ice machines in the seafood market.”
“Observed operator dried clean plates and utensils with a towel after dishwasher machine cycle.” So the guy with the towel just made the sanitizing part of the dishwashing machine’s function pointless.
Golden Rule was back in business after Aug. 3 re-inspection.
Luka Restaurant, 11402 NW 41st St., Doral: 20 total violations, four High Priority violations.
Somebody get a swatter or learn how to clap.
Over 12 flies on a wall next to the front cash register. Over 15 flies on a wiping cloth at the front counter handwash sink. Imagine picking up that cloth and what do you wipe with it (now, be nice). Over eight flies on coffee station syrup pump bottles. Over 37 flies elsewhere.
“Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance” inside an ice machine bin.
“Shell eggs in use or stored with cracks or broken shells.”
Oh, our pet peeve violation...”In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Observed knives stored between wall and three compartment sink at kitchen area.”
Have you looked into the crevice between your appliances and counters? At the old crumbs, grease and gunk down there?
No soap provided at handwash sink located by back kitchen door.
Luka was back in business on Blue Star after Wednesday’s re-inspection.
Piazza Italia, 904 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale: 11 total violations, three High Priority violations.
If you set the traps, you have to clean them. “Approximately 15 dead insects in trap nest desk by back door.”
As for the flies that avoided capture (“Escape” is the better album anyway), about 20 were “at the entrance to inside the bar, on and around the soda gun.” Another 10 were on and around the whiskey dispenser.
Several soda guns at the inside bar made the inspection as “food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.”
“In-use ice scoop stored on soiled surface between uses. Ice scoop stored on dirty surface of ice machine. Advised operator to store in clean/sanitized container.” Good luck with that when the inspector isn’t looking.
Overall impression: If you eat here, drink at home.
The dishwasher wasn’t sanitizing dishes.
The Piazza remained closed after failing its first re-inspection Aug. 4, but made it after a second chance that same day.
Sushi Song Hollywood, 1810 S. Young Cir., Hollywood: Six total violations, three High Priority violations.
This one somehow slipped past us last week.
“Four live roaches in the oven on the cook line.” Adding texture?
The apparently worthless flip top cooler and reach-in cooler kept none of these foods cool enough to keep: tofu, cooked pasta, chicken dumplings, ribeye steak, pork bellies, salmon, yellowtail, cooked lobster and cooked shrimp.
“Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin at the bar.”
Passed re-inspection Aug. 2.
Taverna Kyma, 6298 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton: 23 total violations, five High Priority violations.
“Fly sticky tape hanging over food/food preparation area/food-contact equipment” as in over the prep table and microwaves.
As for the flies, they were landing on a rack with cooked peppers, gloves and plastic wrap, but avoiding the peppers and gloves. Three were playing on a prep table, one played on a cutting board where zucchini was being cut. One landed on a pan of lemons, three others on just-washed dishes. Five at the bar contaminated soda guns, pans, liquor bottles and a cutting board.
Reading test: What did they found inside the ice machine? If you’ve been paying attention, you answered, “an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin.”
The coolers measured 51 degrees, so, logically, the cooked lamb, cooked fish, cooked meatballs and butter inside all were too warm for safe keeping. Basura.
“Observed tube of raw beef in keg cooler cut in half not covered.” Cover your beef, Sparky.
Kyma failed a same-day re-inspection on Thursday, then passed Friday’s re-inspection.
Vincent’s Bistro, 516 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth: Seven total violations, one High Priority violation.
Only 20 live roaches, but they were hardy suckers, hanging around through two successive inspections. One acted as doorman on the floor by the kitchen door, the rest kind of laid low. Maybe they poured out some for the nine roaches that couldn’t be there, including the two legs up on a window ledge.
“Chef preparing food without any hair restraint for loose head hair.” Come on, Messi, slap a chef’s hat, fedora or raspberry beret on it.
Vincent’s couldn’t get rid of the roaches on the Saturday’s re-inspection or the rare Sunday re-re-inspection.
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
