Dirty dining: Old food, flies and more problems at Bradenton 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, restaurants around Bradenton and Anna Maria Island were cited for issues that included flying insects on site, employee handwashing errors and food that was more than a week old.

Here is what inspectors found.

Lovin Oven, 3506 First St., Bradenton

• An inspector observed approximately 10-15 flying insects at a mop sink near a warewashing sink.
• An inspector observed a restaurant operator crack raw shell eggs with gloved hands and then fail to properly change gloves and wash hands. The restaurant operator took off one glove, gave a customer a roll of silverware and put a single new glove back on without a handwash or complete glove change. The inspector advised on proper procedure.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese was not properly date-marked.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink.
• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint. Corrective action was taken.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit the next day.

Cracker Barrel, 2203 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• An employee rubbed hands together for less than the required 10-15 seconds while handwashing before starting to prepare food. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shell eggs that had been removed from temperature control did not have a correct time marking. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of encrusted food debris and rust on two mixer heads in a prep area.
• Ceiling vents near a dry storage area had a heavy buildup of dust, according to an inspector.
• Reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Minnie’s Beach Cafe, 5360 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach

• Pesticides that were not labeled for use in a food establishment were observed in a dry storage area.
• Raw sausage was stored over butter in a reach-in freezer. Corrective action was taken.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• A cutting board was soiled.
• There were no written procedures available for use of time to monitor potentially hazardous food. An inspector advised on proper procedure and provided the necessary form.
• Walls throughout the kitchen were soiled with accumulated food debris and grease, according to an inspector.
• Single service utensils were not stored in an inverted manner to protect from contamination.
• A case of napkins was stored on the floor in a dry storage area. Corrective action was taken.
• A shelf under a table on the cook line was soiled with accumulated food and grease.
• There was no copy of the restaurant’s most recent inspection available.
• Employee personal items were stored throughout the kitchen and a dry storage area, including over food and single-service items.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Panera Bread, 11505 S.R. 70 E., Lakewood Ranch

• An employee did not wash hands before putting on new gloves, according to an inspector. The inspector advised on proper procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee rubbed hands together for less than the required 10-15 seconds while handwashing. An inspector advised on proper procedure.
• Single-service plastic spoons were not stored inverted to prevent contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• Employee personal clothing was stored on a shelf in a food preparation area. Corrective action was taken.
• Multiple cutting boards were damaged.
• Coffee filters were stored unprotected from contamination.
• There was an accumulation of debris on the outside of a warewashing machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Daiquiri Deck, 107 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach

• An inspector observed cooked noodles that were date-marked as more than a week old. A restaurant operator confirmed that the noodles had not been frozen. A stop sale was issued to the age of the food. The noodles were discarded.
• The restaurant offered raw or undercooked oysters without a written consumer advisory about the potential hazards of eating the food.
• No test kit was at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing.
• A food manager’s certification was expired.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Casa Di Pizza, 4658 S.R. 64, Bradenton

• An inspector observed cooked spaghetti noodles and cooked ziti noodles that were date-marked as more than a week old. A restaurant operator confirmed that the items had not been frozen. A stop sale was issued due to the age of the foods. The items were discarded.
• Beef/pork meatballs and marinara sauce were hot held at temperatures less than 135 degrees. An inspector advised a restaurant operator to fix or replace the steam well. Corrective action was taken.
• Reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• Buckets of raw chicken wings were stacked on the floor of a walk-in cooler.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Gecko’s Grill & Pub, 7228 55th Ave. E., Bradenton

• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• A sanitizer bucket was blocking access to an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade. Corrective action was taken.
• A wet wiping cloth was not stored in sanitizing solution between uses.
• In-use tongs were stored on an oven door handle in between uses.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• Three cutting boards on the cook line had cut marks and were no longer cleanable.
• Coffee filters were stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• There was dust buildup on vents, walls and ceiling areas.
• Hood filters above a stove top on the cook line were soiled.
• 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 December 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.