Bradenton-area country club, retirement dining and more cited for food health violations

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, restaurants were cited for issues including toxic substances stored near food and unsafe food temperatures.

Several restaurants were also cited for employee handwashing issues.

Here is what inspectors found:

Michelangelo Pizza Restaurant, 2957 University Parkway, Sarasota

• Toxic substances were stored in improper areas. Degreaser was stored next to bags of pasta; Stainless steel cleaner was stored above a reach-in cooler on the cook line; and a gas can was stored above an ice machine. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shell eggs were stored above ready-to-eat eggplant. Corrective action was taken.
• Garlic knots and pizza slices were displayed unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• A mixer head was soiled.
• Dishwashing racks were heavily soiled with a mold-like substance, according to an inspector.
• A handwash sink had been removed. An inspector advised that the handwash sink must be reinstalled in the same location.
• A used strainer was stored in an employee handwash sink.

• Pizza was being stored at room temperature for lunch service without written procedures in place to monitor the food using time as a public health control. Corrective action was taken.

• Cooked chicken wings that were being held for future use were not date-marked.

• A spray bottle was unlabeled.

• Fly sticky tape was hanging above a dishwashing area.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

La Patrona, 3325 15th St. E., Bradenton (food truck)

• Raw beef, cooked chicken, pork, cooked rice and cooked vegetables were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse, and all of the items were discarded.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The business met inspection standards during a follow-up visit the next day.

Stone River Retirement Community, 7360 55th Ave. E., Bradenton

• Ham, shredded cheese, shell eggs, diced tomatoes and butter were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. All of the items were being held at room temperature. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed a food employee touch soiled equipment and then fail to change gloves/wash hands before touching clean equipment.

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

• Three large cans of collard greens dented at the seam. Corrective action was taken. The cans were removed from service.

• Vegetable soup that was being held for future use had not been cooled from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within six hours. Corrective action was taken. A manager discarded the soup.

• A can opener blade was soiled. Corrective action was taken.

• Dirty dishes were stored in an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

• The proper test strips were not at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in a sanitizer bucket.

• Single-service items were stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.

• Cases of food were stored on a walk-in cooler floor. Corrective action was taken.

• A rear kitchen door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.

• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Caesar’s Breakfast & Lunch, 1808 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed an employee change gloves without washing hands. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw sausage was stored over ready-to-eat fries. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shell eggs were cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• The restaurant’s current license was not displayed.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Bradenton Country Club, 4646 Ninth Ave. W., Bradenton

• An employee handled dirty dishes and then failed to wash hands before handling clean dishes. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure.
• A server handled soiled dishes and glasses and then handled clean glasses without first washing hands. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure.
• Raw shell eggs were stored above ready-to-eat, washed fruit in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
  
  
• A mixer head and a can opener blade were soiled.
• Sausage was thawing in standing water. Corrective action was taken.
• A walk-in cooler floor was soiled.
• Several cutting boards had cut marks and were no longer cleanable.
• The ceiling was soiled in a dishwashing area.
• 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.