Dirty dining: Handwashing issues, no employee training and more issues 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 lack of soap, hot water and handwashing signs for employees. Several restaurants lacked proof of state-required training for food employees and managers.

Here is what inspectors found.

Chick-fil-A, 5489 University Pkwy., University Park

• An inspector observed a food employee change gloves without washing hands. The inspector advised on proper procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw chicken was stored over ready-to-eat food products in a walk-in freezer.
• Cooked chicken was hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse.
• Cooked chicken that was supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control had no time-marking, and the time removed from temperature control could not be determined.
• A person in charge was unable to answer basic Food Code questions pertaining to the safe operation of the establishment.
• Multiple reach-in coolers did not have easily located air temperature thermometers.
• A hood was soiled with grease.
• The floor of a walk-in freezer was soiled.
• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint, according to an inspector.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Mila’s on the Manatee, 955 Riverside Drive, Palmetto

• Crab cakes, egg and pasta were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.
• Spray bottles near a serving area were not labeled. Corrective action was taken.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

PLAY Arcade & Bar, 436 12th St. W., Bradenton

• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• A manager or person in charge lacked proof of food management certification.
• There was no proof of required training for any employees.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Pho House, 7240 55th Ave. E., Bradenton

• During a follow-up visit, an inspector again found lack of proof of employee training. There was no proof of required training for five employees who had worked at the restaurant for more than 60 days.
• Another follow-up inspection was required.

Pier 22, 1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton

• Butter, sour cream and dairy were cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees.
• There was an accumulation of encrusted food debris on/around a mixer head.
• Shellfish tags were not stored in chronological order based on when the food was served at the establishment. An inspector advised on proper procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed multiple soiled cutting boards.
• No written procedures were available for the use of time as public health control to monitor potentially hazardous food. An inspector provided educational materials.
• A soda gun at a bar was soiled. Corrective action was taken.
• Written procedures for non-continuous cooking of chicken wings were incomplete. An inspector provided educational materials.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, 4286 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton

• An inspector observed a cook use bare hands to plate ready-to-eat food (cut lettuce, tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese). A stop sale was issued due to potential food contamination. Corrective action was taken. The cook discarded the food, washed hands and put on a pair of gloves.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• The interior of a reach-in cooler was soiled with food residue.
• Reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.
• An in-use knife was stored in a crack between pieces of equipment. Corrective action was taken.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• An inspector observed two cooks not wearing hair restraints. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of limescale inside of a dishmachine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Wicked Cantina, 101 Seventh St. N., Bradenton Beach

• Previously prepared chicken and beef that were being reheated for hot holding had not reached temperatures of at least 165 degrees for 15 seconds within two hours. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse and the foods were discarded.
• An open container of sanitizer was stored next to clean plates. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of limescale inside of a dishmachine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Bonefish Grill, 7456 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed an employee handle raw fish and then fail to was hands and put on new gloves before touching clean utensils. The inspector instructed the employee and a manager on proper handwashing procedures.
• A wall in the dishwashing area was soiled with accumulated debris.
• Soda machine nozzles were soiled. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Tom’s Bad Ass Bar and Grill, 312 12th St. W., Bradenton

• Raw chicken was stored over fish and ice cream in a reach-in cooler.

• A spray hose at dish sink lower than the flood rim of the sink.

• The interior of an ice machine was soiled with mold-like substance.

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

• There was no probe thermometer at hand to measure the temperature of food products.

• A soda gun was soiled.

• A spray bottle was not labeled. Corrective action was taken.

• An inspector observed shrimp thawing in standing water. Corrective action was taken.

• The interior of a microwave was soiled with encrusted food debris.

• A cook and a dishwasher were not wearing hair restraints, according to an inspector.

• Cutting boards throughout the kitchen were damaged.

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

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Rainbow Island, 5209 33rd St. E., Bradenton

• An inspector observed eight raw eggs with cracked shells in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator discarded the eggs.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Employee car keys were stored on reach-in cooler shelving. Corrective action was taken.
• Hood filters on the cook line were soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Kelsey’s On Cortez, 7020 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed cooked meatloaf 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.
• Sliced cheese was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees on ice on the cook line. Corrective action was taken. A manager moved the cheese to a reach-in cooler.
• Walls behind cooking equipment on the cook line were soiled. according to an inspector.
• The floor was soiled under all equipment on the cook line.
• There was an accumulation of debris inside of a warewashing machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

The Loaded Barrel Tavern, 450 12th St. W., Bradenton

• Hot water was not provided at an employee handwash sink in the kitchen.
• Proof of required training was not available for some employees.
• No handwashing signs were placed at employee handwash sinks in men’s and women’s restrooms. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee with no hair restraint was preparing food. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Moe’s Southwest Grill, 8192 Tourist Center Drive, University Park

• Hot water was not provided at an employee handwash sink on the cook line.
• An ice chute on a self-service drink machine had a buildup of mold-like substance/slime. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator cleaned and sanitized the equipment.
• Floor drains at the cook line and dish area were soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Bonefish Grill, 8101 Cooper Creek Blvd., Sarasota

• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• Multiple shellfish tags were not dated with the last date that the food was served. An inspector advised a restaurant operator on proper procedure.
• Cutting boards on the cook line were soiled, according to an inspector.
• No handwashing sign was placed at an employee handwash sink at the cook line. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of debris inside of a convection oven.
• 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 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.