Worse than gas station sushi? Moldy pasta and sauce at a Broward gas station cafeteria
A state inspection called out a Pembroke Park gas station cafeteria’s pasta, sauce and empanadas for being as perilous as gas station sushi.
And, the problems with the pasta and marinara weren’t what took all the food equipment and utensils out of action at Orion Cafeteria, 3180 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd.
Though inside one of the ubiquitous Orion gas stations, Orion Cafeteria’s website doesn’t reference its gas station home while boasting of “a mouthwatering menu of enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, and other beloved regional specialties.”
But “mouthwatering” isn’t the adjective most would unpack after seeing what Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services inspector Francis Odio and inspector trainee Caridad Delgado found when they visited Thursday.
▪ “A container of cooked pasta stored in the walk-in cooler was found with a green, mold-like substance.” Stop Sale on the pasta.
▪ “A container of marinara sauce stored in the prep reach-in cooler was found with a green, mold-like substance.” Stop Sale on the sauce.
▪ In the area where cookware was washed, “Rotten bananas were stored on the shelf above the prep table, across from the three-compartment sink.” Stop Sale on the bananas that might as well have been in a tailpipe.
▪ Speaking of the warewash area, “the three-compartment sink basins were found to have a heavy buildup of soil, dust, a black mold-like substance, and old food debris.”
▪ “Equipment and utensils were washed, skipping the required sanitizing step.”
▪ “The food establishment did not provide proof of acceptable sewage disposal.” This got a Stop Use Order slammed on “all food equipment and utensils” and “All open/exposed food processing”
▪ Also, Orion Cafeteria hasn’t had a valid food permit since Oct. 1 and “has not met all permitting requirements by providing proof of sewage disposal.”
▪ The hot holding unit should’ve kept food inside at or above 135 degrees for safe keeping. The spinach and cheese empanadas measured 84 to 88 degrees. Stop Sale.
▪ The same kinds of empanadas had been in the retail area’s walk-in cooler for two days and should’ve been at or under 41 degrees to keep from being a bacteria incubator. They measured 45 degrees. Basura.
▪ “Tongs used to dispense pickled eggs were found stored in a container of standing water at a temperature of 78 degrees.” That’s room temperature, well below what it needed to be.
This story was originally published February 23, 2025 at 10:52 AM.
