JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The search for a perfect score wasn't an easy task in this week's Restaurant Report.
Over the last two weeks, according to state regulators' records, six restaurants were forced to temporarily shut down for serious violations.
In Lake City, Two Fat Guys Burgers and Fries failed a surprise inspection. State records show a high-priority violation issued for 14 rodent droppings. Inspectors said they were found in the following locations:
- One rodent dropping on a piece of wood attached to the wall to the right of the upright reach-in freezer in the storage room behind the cookline.
- At least 10 rodent droppings, with other debris present, on the floor underneath a piece of wood.
- Two rodent droppings on the floor to the left of the upright reach-in freezer.
- One rodent dropping on the ground across from the reach-in freezer behind the insulated cooler under the bottom shelf of the storage room.
Records show basic violations were issued for:
- The floor in the storage room soiled with wood debris and some pieces of plastic to the right of the upright reach-in freezer.
- The floor of the hall with chemicals next to the storage room soiled with debris.
- Accumulation of grease and food debris behind the fryer on the cookline.
- Accumulation of trash and some moldlike substance on the floor under the back bar ice bin.
- The floor in the kitchen in need of repair.
- Laminate worn down to concrete.
The restaurant reopened after the rodent droppings were swept away. A time extension was given to repair the damages.
In St. Augustine, the Holiday Inn & Suites on Ponce De Leon Boulevard had to turn away hungry guests on May 9. According to an inspection report, high-priority violations were issued for:
- Six small flies at the hand-washing sink in the bar area.
- Seven large flies on coffee pitchers above the hand-washing sink at the bar.
- Seven small flies at the entrance of the kitchen.
- Five flies above the make table.
- Three flies by the mop sink.
- Three live roaches on the left wall at the door to the kitchen above and below the food prep table.
- One dead roach on the floor on the left side of the stove.
- Two dead roaches on the left side of the walk-in cooler on the floor.
It took a day for the kitchen to reopen and meet inspection standards.
In Jacksonville, it was double trouble for the owner of Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs. The restaurant has three locations, two of which faced emergency closures. Records show the restaurant on Soutel Drive was cited an intermediate violation for:
No hand-washing sink for employees. Plans indicate three hand-washing sinks for the establishment. Inspectors said they observed two of these completely missing in the kitchen area. Another hand-washing sink was detached from the wall near a three-compartment sink with no water supply, inspectors said. Also, inspectors said they observed an inoperable hand-washing sink installed near the drive-thru window, which is not on the plans.
According to records, a basic violation was issued for:
No hand-washing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees and a hand-washing sign missing at an inoperable hand-washing sink near the drive-thru window.
Inspectors at Tunis on Emerson Street said they issued high-priority violations for:
- More than 15 flies present under the three-compartment sink and at the mop sink.
- Wastewater from the three-compartment sink backing up inside the floor drain in front of three-compartment sink when water is on at the three-compartment sink.
- Drain plumbing pipes from the three-compartment sink draining into the mop sink.
- Sewage draining onto the ground outside the establishment near the rear door.
Both restaurants reopened in just hours.
In Jacksonville, at the Chomp Chomp Restaurant on Herschel Street, the kitchen closed for a few hours after inspectors said a high-priority violation was issued for:
- Seven rodent droppings on top of the hot water heater.
- Approximately 13 rodent droppings on a ledge in the kitchen where spices are stored.
The report shows the manager had staff immediately start cleaning areas where droppings were observed.
Also in Jacksonville, according to state records, Hop Shing on North Main Street in Panama Park was also served with a brief closure after high-priority violations were issued for:
- Five rodent droppings on the dry storage shelf next to the containers of flour and sugar.
- Nineteen rodent droppings on the floor in the room where the mop sink is stored.
- Thirty rodent droppings near the hot water heater.
- Twenty-five rodent droppings on the bottom shelf of the prep table where seasonings are stored at the end of the cookline.
- Eight rodent droppings on the shelf where sauces are stored behind the steam table.
- Fifteen rodent droppings on the table near the cordless phone.
A follow-up inspection showed the restaurant was back in compliance that same day.