Dirty dining: Unsafe food temperatures, mold and other 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, several restaurants were cited when potentially hazardous foods were not stored at hot or cold enough temperatures. Moldy equipment was another issue at Bradenton and Anna Maria Island area restaurants.

Here is what inspectors found.

Ed’s Tavern, 10719 Rodeo Dr., Lakewood Ranch

• Cooked chicken, tuna, deli meat, fish, cheese, multiple quantities of cooked plants, cut lettuce and cut tomatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse.
• Plastic food storage containers were not clean, according to an inspector.
• A cutting board on the cook line was stained and/or soiled.
• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.
• A spray bottle was not labeled. Corrective action was taken.
• A walk-in cooler had an unsealed concrete floor.
• Multiple reach-in coolers did not have ambient air temperature thermometers.
• A hood was soiled.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• There was an accumulation of limescale inside of a dishmachine.
• A follow-up inspection was required.
• During a follow-up visit, an inspector again found foods held at improper temperatures. Tuna, fish, deli meat, cheese, cooked plants and cut tomatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse.
• Another follow-up inspection was required.

Metro Diner, 4726 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• Cooked turkey, multiple quantities of chicken salad, provolone cheese, shredded cheese, multiple quantities of cheddar cheese, multiple quantities of American cheese, strawberry butter, cinnamon butter, coleslaw, mixed lettuce, cut lettuce and tomatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse.
  
  
• Pot pie and sausage gravy were hot held at temperatures less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw eggs were stored over ready-to-eat cheddar cheese in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Detergent was stored next to cooked food. Corrective action was taken.
• A manager or person in charge lacked proof of food manager certification.
• No currently certified food manager was on duty while four or more employees were engaged in food preparation/handling. Corrective action was taken. A certified food manager started a shift during the inspection.
• Required training was expired for one employee.
• Floors in a walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer were soiled.
• Coffee filters were not stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• All of the refrigeration units on the cook line were soiled, according to an inspector.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Oma’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant, 201 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach

• Mozzarella cheese and cooked ham were stored at room temperature on a pizza make line. Corrective action was taken. The items were moved to a reach-in cooler.
• Pesticide that was not labeled for use in a food establishment was present. Corrective action was taken.
• Household pesticide was stored next to wine in a dry storage area. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• Several cutting boards in the kitchen were stained/soiled.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.
• There was no test kit at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing.
• Required training was expired for some employees.
• A slicer blade guard was soiled with old food debris.
• The interior of a microwave was soiled with encrusted food debris.
• There was grease accumulated under all of the equipment of the cook line, according to an inspector.
• Food was stored on the floor in the kitchen and in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

D’s Breakfast and Burgers, 423 10th Ave. W., Palmetto

• A pesticide not labeled for use in a food establishment was present in the kitchen, according to an inspector. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• There was a buildup of mold-like substance around soda-dispensing nozzles in a server area.
• A garbage can was blocking access to an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• A slice blade guard was soiled with old food debris.
• The wall area behind the cook line was heavily soiled with grease.
• Walk-in cooler gaskets were soiled with slime/mold-like buildup.
• Food was stored on the floor in a dry storage area.
• None of the restaurant’s cooks were wearing hair restraints while preparing food. Corrective action was taken.
• Hood filters in the kitchen were soiled with grease.
• 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 March 22, 2021 at 5:41 AM.