Health dept. temporarily shuts down Bradenton pizza restaurant for rodents

Florida’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants routinely inspects restaurants, food trucks and other food service establishments for public health and cleanliness issues. The reports are public information.

During the most recent inspections in Manatee County, issues at area restaurants included lack of employee hand-washing and unsafe food temperatures.

A Bradenton pizza restaurant was temporarily shut down after signs of rodent activity were seen on site.

Here is what inspectors found:

CB’s Pizza & Grill, 5820 Ranch Lake Blvd., Bradenton

• An inspector ordered that CB’s Pizza & Grill be temporarily closed on Dec. 21 after rodent droppings and nesting materials were observed on site.

• An inspector observed approximately 40 rodent droppings along a wall in dry storage area underneath a wire rack. The storage area was near the cook line.

• An inspector observed rodent nesting materials along a baseboard in a dry storage area.

• Cooked sausage was cold held a temperature greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse, and the sausage was discarded.

• Raw animal foods (chicken and beef) were not properly separated from one another in a walk-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.

• A spray hose was placed lower than the flood rim of a sink.

• A can of applesauce was dented at the seam. A restaurant operator set the can aside for reimbursement.

• A food manager’s certification was expired.

• A slicer blade and a can opener blade were soiled.

• There was standing water in the bottom of a reach-in cooler.

• Coffee filters were stored unprotected from contamination.

• The interior of one or more reach-in coolers was soiled.

• The exteriors of stack oven doors were soiled.

• Plastic dishwashing racks were soiled with a black mold-like substance.

• Shelves under all preparation tables in the kitchen were soiled.

• Floors were soiled throughout the kitchen, behind equipment and in a dry storage area.

• The restaurant’s current license was not displayed.

• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required before the restaurant could reopen. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit on Dec. 22 and was allowed to reopen.

The River Road Stop, 131 Upper Manatee River Rd., Bradenton

• During a follow-up visit for previous violations noted on Oct. 20, an inspector observed unresolved issues on site.
• Well water was still in use for handwashing and equipment cleaning purposes. A restaurant operator again stated that employees were using hand sanitizer after washing hands, chlorine sanitizer was used for warewashing and only fresh store-bought gallons of water were used for cooking.
• The establishment was still using a makeshift drain line and an in-ground storage tank for wastewater. The wastewater was being removed by a hauling company. No wastewater was leaking on the ground, as had been noted during previous inspector’s visits.
• One or more food contact surfaces were again soiled.
• An outer opening was still not protected with a self-closing door.
• An exterior door still had a gap at threshold that opened to the outside.
• Another follow-up inspection was required.

Wings N Things, 7640 Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota

• Containers of milk and buttermilk were not date-marked with the time when the containers had been opened, and a restaurant operator did not know when they were opened. A stop sale was issued and the items were discarded.
• Two large cans of black olives were dented at the seams. A restaurant operator set the cans aside for reimbursement.
• There were no test kits at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing and cleaning.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Dirty glasses, straws and ice were stored in an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Required training was expired for some employees.
• Walls throughout the kitchen were soiled.
• An employee on the cook line was preparing food without a hair restraint.
• A dishmachine was not working properly. An inspector advised manually washing dishes until the machine could be repaired.
• There was an accumulation of debris inside of a warewashing machine.
• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Panera Bread, 1520 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed a food employee change gloves without washing hands. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed an employee make body contact with gloves and then fail to change them. Corrective action was taken.
• There was a mold-like substance on an ice chute on a self-service drink machine in the dining area.
• Box lunches for catering were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Anna Maria Oyster Bar Landside, 6906 14th St. W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed an employee touch a face mask and then fail to change gloves and wash hands. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shrimp was stored over ice cream in a walk-in freezer. Corrective action was taken.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Required food safety training was expired for some employees.
• Walk-in cooler, walk-in freezer and reach-in cooler gaskets were soiled.
• The floor of a walk-in freezer was soiled.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Editor’s Note: According to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, these reports are a “snapshot” of the conditions present at the time of the inspection and are public record. The agency is required to inspect every licensed restaurant at least once per year, but new and “high-risk” establishments tend to be inspected more frequently.

When an emergency shutdown order is given by an inspector, it must first be reviewed and approved by agency supervisors. In order for a business to reopen, an inspector will continue visiting the establishment daily until compliance is met. Some citations may include a financial penalty. Inspectors may also respond to complaints, which can be filed here.

The Bradenton Herald’s weekly dirty dining reports list restaurants where inspectors found issues that might concern the average diner — such as unsafe food temperatures, employee hand-washing issues or moldy drink machines — regardless of whether or not the businesses passed inspection.