Dirty dining: Inspectors find major seafood-related 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 misidentified seafood, shellfish mismanagement, unsafe seafood temperatures and no proof of parasite destruction for fish that was being served raw or undercooked.

Here is what inspectors found.

Mami Carmen’s Restaurante, 5604 15th St. E., Bradenton

• Refried beans and rice that had been cooked the day prior had not been cooled to 41 degrees within six hours. A stop sale was issued and the items were discarded.
• The establishment was operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
• Shellfish tags were not stored in chronological order according to the last dates when the food was served at the restaurant.
• There was no currently certified food manager on duty while four or more employees were preparing/handling food. Corrective action was taken. A certified food manager arrived during the inspection.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• There was no proof of required training for two employees hired more than 60 days prior.
• Required training was expired for all employees.
• A restaurant operator’s probe thermometer for measuring food temperatures was not accurate.
  
  
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille, 101 Riverfront Blvd. #120, Bradenton

• A food employee failed to wash hands during a glove change in between tasks. An inspector educated a restaurant operator on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Rice, cooked plant food, chicken stock, crab cake, ribs, scallops, potatoes, pasta and brown sauce were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. In a walk-in cooler, clam chowder, beef sauce, shrimp, cream sauce, cut tomatoes and coleslaw were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• There was encrusted food debris on/around a mixer head.

• Shellfish tags were not stored in chronological order according to the last dates when the food was served at the restaurant. Corrective action was taken.

• An inspector observed a handwash sink used as a dump sink. Corrective action was taken.

• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.

• The restaurant’s menu listed an item as crab salad, but imitation crab was in use. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator changed the menus.

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

• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.

• A soda gun was soiled.

• Walk-in cooler shelves were soiled with encrusted food debris.

• Multiple reach-in coolers did not have ambient air temperature thermometers, according to an inspector.

• There was an accumulation of grease on the floor under a fryer.

• Multiple food items were stored on the floor in a dry storage area. Corrective action was taken.

• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.

• Cardboard lining the floor of a walk-in cooler was soiled. Corrective action was taken.

• There was an accumulation of debris on a warewashing machine. A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit the next day.

Bangkok Tokyo, 7337 52nd Place E., Bradenton

• There was no proof of parasite destruction or aquaculture documentation for smoked salmon that was served raw or undercooked. An inspector advised that the fish must be fully cooked or discarded.
• An inspector observed a restaurant operator fail to wash hands before putting on gloves to work with food. Corrective action was taken.
• Dishmachine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. Corrective action was taken.
• Shell eggs were held at an ambient air temperature greater than 45 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• White rice was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Chicken broth was hot-held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• The restaurant did not have the correct type of test strips at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in-use in a dishmachine.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• There were no written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to monitor potentially hazardous food.
• Raw salmon at the sushi bar was not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• Required training was expired for one employee.
• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.
• Hood filters were soiled.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Riverhouse Waterfront Restaurant (Second Floor), 995 Riverside Drive, Palmetto

• Shrimp and fish were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator discarded the items.

• Shellfish tags were not stored in chronological order according to the last dates when the food was served at the restaurant.

• Oyster tags were not marked with the last date that the shellfish was served. An inspector educated a restaurant operator on proper oyster handling.

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

• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.

• A soda gun was soiled.

• Silverware was not stored inverted to prevent contamination. Corrective action was taken.

• A floor fan was soiled.

• Walk-in cooler fans were soiled.

• An employee drink was stored on a food preparation table. Corrective action was taken.

• 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.

The Bradenton Herald’s weekly dirty dining reports list restaurants where inspectors found issues that might concern the average diner — such as unsafe food temperatures, employee handwashing issues or moldy drink machines — regardless of whether or not the businesses passed inspection.

This story was originally published February 22, 2021 at 5:48 AM.