Dirty dining: A Bradenton restaurant had a roach problem. A beach bar had flies

During the most recent inspections of Manatee County, two restaurants were cited for having live insects on site.

Other issues at Bradenton-area restaurants included foods that were held at unsafe temperatures or stored for future use without date-markings.

Here is what inspectors found.

Yong Feng Garden, 5108 15th St. E., Bradenton

• An inspector observed three live roaches inside of a box and under a jug of oil at the cook line. The restaurant operator threw the box containing two of the roaches out of the back door.
• An inspector observed roach droppings too numerous to count along walls in the kitchen, between pieces of equipment, under tables and in an employee bathroom.
• An inspector observed approximately 10 dead roaches in the mechanical part of a reach-in cooler. One dead roach was observed in between prep tables, an another was observed in an employee bathroom.
• Raw shrimp was stored over onion and noodles. Corrective action was taken.
• Unwashed mushrooms were stored over cut cabbage and onions. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.
  
  
• An exterior screen door had a gap at the threshold and at the top that opened to the outside.
  
  
• Raw shrimp being thawed under running water rose above a temperature of 41 degrees; an inspector observed a temperature of 75 degrees.
• Tongs were fully immersed in raw chicken, according to an inspector. An employee sent the tongs for cleaning.
• There was grease accumulated on the floor and/or under cooking equipment.
• A cutting board had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Gulf Drive Cafe, 900 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach

• An inspector observed approximately 25 flying insects at and around a tiki bar, including approximately 10 around a soda gun.
• Raw shell eggs were being held at ambient temperature on the cook line. The eggs were returned to refrigeration for rapid cooling.
• All of the shelves in a walk-in cooler were rusted.
• Berries and dried tomatoes in a walk-in freezer had no date-marking.
• All of the soda guns at the tiki bar were soiled, according to an inspector.
• The floor of a walk-in freezer was soiled.
• Cut melon was stored uncovered in a reach-in cooler.
• The lip of an ice machine by the wait station was soiled. The lip of an ice machine at the tiki bar was also soiled.
• A tiki bar could not be properly sealed when not in operation.
• An ice scoop handle was in contact with ice.
• There was standing water on the ground in a walk-in cooler, at an exterior area of the establishment where an ice machine and wait station was located and throughout the tiki bar area.
• Condensate was coming out of fans in a walk-in cooler.
• An employee with no beard guard was engaged in food preparation.
• Cooking pans were stored in an exterior area of the building.
• Packaged fries were stored on the floor of a walk-in freezer.
• Soda gun holsters, reach-in cooler doors and shelves were soiled with liquid and food debris.
• A follow-up inspection was required.
  
  

Sunny Wok, 8756 E. S.R. 70, Bradenton

• Foods in a walk-in cooler were not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• A handwash sink was not accessible for employee use. Corrective action was taken.
• A food manager’s certification was expired.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were rusted.
• An employee drink was stored in a food preparation area. It was removed.
• Food containers were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler.
• Food containers were stored on the kitchen floor.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Mitaka Japanese Ramen House, 6749 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

• Pork belly was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees.
• No test kit was at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing.
• Soup, pork belly and cooked chicken in a walk-in cooler had no date-marking.
• The lid of a flour bucket was heavily soiled. A curtain separating the cook line from the back kitchen area was soiled.
• In-use knives were stored between cracks in pieces of equipment. The items were removed.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Chicken Salad Chick, 7350 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton

• Cut lettuce was being held at room temperature with no “time as a public health control” procedures on hand. The restaurant operator was unable to locate the paperwork completed at the last inspection. New paperwork was filled out.
• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• Proof of required training was not available for one employee.
• The floor of a walk-in cooler was soiled.
• An in-use scoop was stored in water at less than 135 degrees. The scoop was removed.
• 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.

This story was originally published January 8, 2020 at 5:00 AM.