Dirty dining: Mold, unsafe food temperatures and more issues at area restaurants

Restaurants in Manatee County have reopened for dine-in service, and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants has resumed routine inspections for public health and cleanliness issues.

During the most recent inspections in Manatee County, several restaurants required follow-up inspections after inspectors noted problems that include moldy ice machines, employee training issues and foods held at unsafe temperatures.

Here is what inspectors found.

Brancato’s Brick Oven, 5227 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

• Bread and pizza that were on display were not properly protected from contamination, according to an inspector. The foods were stored on a bar area of a counter. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shell eggs were stored over cooked sausage in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Potentially hazardous food that was supposed to be held using time as a public health control had no time marking. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade. An employee cleaned it.
• Changes were made to the restaurant’s layout and new equipment was added without a plan review submitted to and approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. An inspector provided plan review information to a restaurant operator.
• There was no proof of required training for an employee hired more than 60 days prior.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Palm Aire Country Club, 5601 Country Club Way, Sarasota

• Hard-cooked egg, quiche, cooked chicken, cheese, multiple quantities of cut lettuce, cut melon, cut tomatoes, tuna salad and chicken salad were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse.
• The spray hose at a dish sink was located lower than the flood rim of he sink.
• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• An inspector observed multiple soiled cutting boards on the cook line.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.
• A slicer blade was soiled with old food debris.
• Silverware was stored unprotected from contamination.
• To-go containers and straws were stored on the floor of an outside shed.
• Multiple reach-in coolers did not have conspicuously located air thermometers.
• The handle of an ice scoop at the bar was in contact with ice.
• There was peeling paint on the ceiling over a food preparation area, according to an inspector.
• There was an accumulation of debris on a walk-in cooler fan.
• An employee drink was stored above clean utensils. Corrective action was taken.
• The ceiling over the cook line and vents throughout the kitchen were soiled.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

T&L BBQ & Soul Food Catering, 2416 Ninth St. E., Bradenton

• Macaroni and cheese, shredded cheese, cooked half chicken, cooked chicken and rice, cooked pork and cooked beans were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. The foods had been held overnight. A stop sale was issued. A restaurant operator voluntarily discarded the items.
• A food manager’s certification was expired, and there was no other certified food manager for the establishment.
• There was no probe thermometer at hand to measure the temperature of food.
• Cooked chicken and rice that was being held for future use was not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• Required training was expired for one employee.
• No chart was available for use of chemical test kits to check sanitizer.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Mountain Comforts Coffee Cafe, 3550 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton

• During a follow-up visit, an inspector again observed potentially hazardous foods held at unsafe temperatures. Cut tomatoes, ham, pooled eggs and shredded cheese were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A restaurant operator stated that the foods had been at the proper temperature in the morning before a lunch rush. The foods were iced down.
• Another follow-up inspection was required.

Dunkin’, 812 62nd St. Circle E. #101, Bradenton

• A manager or person in charge lacked proof of food manager certification, and no other certified food service manager was employed at this location.

• There was an accumulation of black/pink mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.

• There was no test kit at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing.

• A cutting board had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.

• Coffee filters were stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Lamantini Trattoria, 1830 59th St. W., Bradenton

• Dish machine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. The concentration of sanitizer was at zero, according to an inspector. The inspector instructed an employee to set up a three-compartment sink for warewashing until the machine could be repaired.
• No test kit was at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing.
• Pizza that was being served by the slice was held at room temperature, and there were no written procedures for using time as a public health control. An inspector provided the necessary paperwork, and an employee moved the pizza to refrigeration.
• Required training was expired for one employee.
• An inspector observed soil residue buildup on a reach-in freezer, reach-in coolers and an ice machine.
• A plumbing issue was causing water to shoot onto the floor at an employee handwash sink located at the bar.
• No handwashing sign was posted at an employee handwash sink.
• There was an accumulation of debris inside of a warewashing machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Valentino Pizzeria Trattoria, 8203 Cooper Creek Blvd., Bradenton

• Deli meat, dairy dessert, pasta, cut lettuce, cream dressing, cheese, cut tomatoes and cooked plants were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• Shellfish tags were not marked with the last date that the food was served.
• Cutting boards throughout the cook line were stained/soiled, according to an inspector.
• There were no test kits at hand to measure the strength of two different types of sanitizer in use for warewashing.
• There was no hot running water at a three-compartment sink.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was not at the proper minimum strength.
• A walk-in cooler had an unsealed concrete floor.
• Takeout containers were stored unprotected from contamination.
• Reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• The handle of an ice scoop at the bar was in contact with ice.
• An employee beverage was stored on a server station. Corrective action was taken.
• The ceiling and vents throughout the kitchen were soiled. according to an inspector.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Clean Juice, 5215 University Parkway #104, Sarasota

• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• A restaurant operator was unable to provide proper proof of required employee training.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Pizza Social, 308 Pine Ave., Anna Maria

• Renovations were underway and no plan review had been submitted to and approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

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 September 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.