Dirty dining: Mislabeled seafood, mold, old food and more issues found at Bradenton area restaurants

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

During the most recent inspections in Manatee County, restaurants were cited for problems that included moldy equipment and employees making food without hair restraints.

One restaurant was cited for misidentifying what kind of seafood was in a menu item.

Here is what inspectors found.

Stone Bowl Pan-Asian Kitchen & Sushi, 5516 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

• Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw beef was stored over unwashed tomatoes in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw animal foods with different minimum cooking temperatures were not properly separated from one another. Raw chicken was stored over raw shrimp in a walk-in cooler and raw chicken was stored over raw salmon in a walk-in freezer. Corrective action was taken.
• Cut cabbage, fresh garlic in oil, tofu, cut lettuce and ginger dressing were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. The ginger dressing had been held overnight. A stop sale was issued and the dressing was discarded. All of the the other items were relocated to a walk-in cooler.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade. Corrective action was taken.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was stored on the floor at a sushi bar. Corrective action was taken.
• Wet wiping cloths in use on the cook line were not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed raw pork thawing at room temperature. Corrective action was taken.
• There were no handwashing signs posted at multiple employee handwash sinks. Corrective action was taken.
• Rice scoops in the kitchen and at a sushi bar were stored in water at less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• An ice scoop in use with an outdoor ice machine was stored unprotected on top of the machine between uses. Corrective action was taken.
• A hood unit was soiled. Corrective action was taken.
• Employee drinks were stored on the cook line and in a prep area. Corrective action was taken.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

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

• An inspector observed read-to-eat quiche that was date-marked as more than a week old in a walk-in cooler. A stop sale was issued and the food was discarded.
• Cooked onions that were supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control had no time-marking, and the time that the food had been removed from temperature control could not be determined. Corrective action was taken.
• Cut ham steak and pre-sliced ham stored in cold-holding units on the cook line were not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• A food manager’s certification was expired.
• No currently certified food manager was on duty while four or more employees were preparing/handling food.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.
• There was no easily visible thermometer in a cold holding unit at the front counter.
• In-use tongs were stored on an oven door handle between uses. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed a roughly 3 inch hole in the ceiling above a reach-in freezer.
• An employee drink was stored in a food preparation area. Corrective action was taken.
• A ceiling vent above a reach-in freezer was heavily soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Top China, 3558 53rd Ave. W., Bradenton

• Cut broccoli was held at room temperature. An inspector advised a restaurant operator to put the food into a cold holding unit after preparation.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.
• There was no easily visible thermometer in a walk-in cooler.
• The restaurant’s menu offered crab rangoon, but the restaurant actually served imitation crab. An inspector advised a restaurant operator to change the spelling on the menu to “krab.” Corrective action was taken.
• Dry storage shelves were soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

King’s Wok, 6210 U.S. 301, Ellenton

• Raw chicken was stored over raw shell eggs in a cold-holding unit. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw animal foods (chicken, pork and beef) were not separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant’s probe thermometer for measuring food temperatures was not accurate. Corrective action was taken. An inspector advised a restaurant operator on how to calibrate the thermometer.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an “only staff” sign on the restaurant’s bathroom door. An inspector advised that the restaurant is required to let customers use the restroom.
• In-use knives were stored between cracks in pieces of equipment. Corrective action was taken.
• There was accumulated grease on the floor around a fryer and behind a barbecue smoker.
• An employee was preparing food with no hair restraint. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Gianni’s NY Pizza, 4925 S.R. 64, Bradenton

• An inspector observed butter held at room temperature. A restaurant inspector said that it had been out overnight. A stop sale was issued and the butter was discarded.
• The ice chute on a self-service drink machine in a dining area was soiled with mold-like substance/slime. Corrective action was a taken. A restaurant operator cleaned the equipment.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• An inspector observed two employees preparing food without wearing hair restraints. 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.

This story was originally published January 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.