Unexpected guests, off-menu items found in 3 restaurants

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Health inspectors uncovered some unexpected off-menu items in three restaurants in Duval and Clay counties.

The Food House on North Main Street in Springfield is where you'll find daily lunch specials on chicken tenders, shrimp and wings. But a surprise visit from state inspectors uncovered three high-priority violations, which ultimately led to a brief closure. They included 12 live roaches, two flies and raw eggs stored over bottles of water, according to state regulators' records. More bugs were found during three follow-up inspections, records show. The restaurant was back in compliance and reopened two days later.

Health inspectors said the Fatballs Sports Bar and Grill on 103rd Street had a live rat behind the refrigerator during an inspection last week. Rat droppings and more than a dozen flies were also found in the kitchen, records show. The sports bar managed to tidy up within a few hours and reopened that same day.

Salsas Mexican Restaurant in Middleburg had over a dozen violations found, according to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The business is located on County Road 220 at College Drive. It failed an inspection last week when live flies were buzzing around the kitchen and bar area. A repeat violation was issued for items like chips, sangria and chicken broth stored on the floor. After a follow-up inspection, the restaurant was back in compliance.

VIDEO: More than a dozen violations found at Mexican restaurant in Middleburg

Basketball fans headed to the Vystar Veterans Memorial Area were probably more focused on the score than the food during the NCAA Tournament. But health inspectors were all about the concession stands when they stopped by for a routine checkup. The inspection was held on the same day as the tournament and it was a near slam-dunk for the kitchen staff. Out of nine concession stands, only two had high-priority violations and they were still considered in compliance.

Inspectors said Savor Jacksonville Gateway Grill had a sneeze guard that was placed the wrong way while Savor Jacksonville Duval Street Dogs had slaw held at the wrong temperature. The Director of Food & Beverage said a quick timeout was all it took to correct the penalties. Visitors said they're impressed with the near-perfect score.