Dirty dining: Inspectors find unsafe meat and seafood temperatures, mold at 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 meat and seafood stored at unsafe temperatures and employees making food without hair restraints.

Several restaurants were also cited for moldy ice machines.

Here is what inspectors found.

Robin’s Downtown Cafe, 428 12th St. W., Bradenton

• Quiche, batter, deli meat, sausage, sausage gravy, tuna salad, hard-cooked eggs and potatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• Multiple cooling units did not have ambient air temperature thermometers, according to an inspector.
• Multiple cutting boards were damaged.
• There was an accumulation of debris on a warewashing machine.
• A rear exit was not protected with self-closing doors.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

O’bricks Irish Pub & Martini Bar, 427 12th St. W., Bradenton

• Salmon, lobster salad, scallop and coleslaw were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of encrusted food debris on/around a mixer head.
• Cutting boards on the cook line were soiled, according to an inspector.
• There were no written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to monitor potentially hazardous food. Corrective action was taken. An inspector advised on proper procedure and provided written directions.
• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.
• A soda gun was soiled.
• An inspector observed lamb thawing in standing water. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator turned on cold water.
• No handwashing sign was placed at an employee handwash sink at a bar in a banquet area. Corrective action was taken.
• The interior of a convection oven on the cook line was soiled with debris.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

Mellie’s New York Deli & Eatery, 4650 S.R. 64, Bradenton

• Several foods that had been prepared at room temperature had not been cooled to 41 degrees within four hours. An inspector observed egg salad, tuna salad and meatballs stored at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. The inspector measure the items’ temperatures at the beginning and end of the inspection and there was no change. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator moved the items to a reach-in freezer for rapid cooling.
• The restaurant’s menu did not disclose which items contained raw salmon. An inspector advised a restaurant operator to update the menu.
• Reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Sugar Cubed Pastry Lab, 531 13th St. W., Bradenton

• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• Butter was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator discarded the butter.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• Paper towels were not provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Multiple food items in a walk-in cooler were not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were soiled.
• There was no ambient air temperature thermometer in a glass display cooler.

• Wooden stirrers available for customers were not individually wrapped to prevent contamination. A restaurant operator removed them.

• Food containers were stored on the floor in a walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. Corrective action was taken.

• Employee drinks were stored in a food preparation area. Corrective action was taken.

• There was an accumulation of debris on a warewashing machine.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Holly’s Quarter Cup Cafe, 5911 53rd Ave., Bradenton

• A bucket of sanitizer was stored next to clean serveware. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of black-green mold like substance in the interior of an ice machine. An inspector advised that the machine should be cleaned routinely. Corrective action was taken.
• Racks in a walk-in cooler were soiled.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• An employee with no hair restraint was preparing food. Corrective action was taken.
• Coffee filters were stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• Ice machine vents were soiled. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Fav’s Italian Cucina, 419 12th St. W., Bradenton

• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• Multiple cutting boards were soiled.
• Previously prepared food items in a walk-in cooler were not date-marked.
• Spray bottles were not labeled. Corrective action was taken.
• A walk-in cooler was pitted with rust.
• Containers of food were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler.
• An employee with no hair restraint was preparing food.
• An employee drink was stored on a food preparation table. Corrective action was taken.
• Single-use items were stored in an employee restroom. Corrective action was taken.
• The ceiling area over a pizza oven was soiled.
• Hood filters 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 February 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM.