Dirty dining: Rodents shut down one restaurant. Others had mold and meat issues

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, a Palmetto restaurant was temporarily shut down after rodent and fly activity was discovered there.

Restaurants at several golf clubs around Bradenton also required follow-up visits. Problems at the businesses included outdated food, raw meat over food and moldy equipment.

Here is what inspectors found.

El Sombrero, 1330 U.S. 301, Palmetto

• An inspector ordered that El Sombrero be temporarily closed on May 18 after observing signs of rodent and insect activity on site.
• An inspector observed approximately 72 rodent droppings throughout various areas of the restaurant.
• An inspector observed 20 live flying insects in various areas of the restaurant.
• Sour cream, cheese, verde sauce, raw chicken, raw steak, shredded lettuce, queso, shredded cheese and cooked peppers were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• Shredded chicken was hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Pico de gallo and cut tomatoes had not been cooled from ambient temperature to 41 degrees within four hours. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.

• No currently certified food service manager was on duty while four or more employees were preparing/handling food.

• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink.

• Proof of required training was not available for some employees.

• Raw beef was left to thaw at room temperature.

• A jug of oil was stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.

• Two exit doors had gaps at their thresholds that opened to the outside.

• There was dust on the ceiling above a cooler on the prep line.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

• During a follow-up visit on May 19, an inspector again observed flying insects on site. There were four flying insects in a dish area, according to an inspector.

• The restaurant remained closed.

• The restaurant met inspection standards during another follow-up visit on May 19 and was allowed to reopen.

IMG Academy Golf Club, 4350 El Conquistador Parkway, Bradenton

• Shrimp salad, tuna salad, chicken salad and egg salad were date marked as more than a week old. A stop sale was issued for the food items.
• Cut tomatoes, blue cheese, ham and cheese rolls, sliced turkey, Swiss cheese, goat cheese with almonds, salmon, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, strawberries, cut lettuce, romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing and spring mix were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a salad cooler. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse. Corrective action was taken.
• Required training was expired for all employees.
• A cutting board had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.
• A bait trap was stored on a shelf where ice buckets were stored.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

The Preserve Golf Club, 7310 Tara Preserve Lane, Bradenton

• There was an accumulation of black mold-like substance on the interior of an ice machine. An inspector educated a restaurant operator on removal of the substance.

• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in a soda gun nozzle.

• A manager lacked proof of food manager certification.

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

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

• Single-service items were not stored inverted to prevent contamination. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

The Club at River Wilderness, 2250 Wilderness Blvd. W., Parrish

• There was no complete physical barrier between raw animal food and ready-to-eat food in a food storage drawer.
• Raw meatballs were stored over spinach. Corrective action was taken.
• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• Chicken salad and tuna were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. The items had been cold held for less than four hours. An inspector advised rapidly chilling them.
• There was an accumulation of encrusted food debris on/around a mixer head.
• There was no proof of required training for any employees.
• The interiors of multiple ovens were soiled.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was soiled.
• Hood filters were soiled.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Bradenton Country Club, 4646 Ninth Ave. W., Bradenton

• Diced tomatoes, sour cream and shredded cheese were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse.
• There was an encrusted material on a can opener blade.
• There was no hot water at any of the sinks throughout the building, according to an inspector.
• Required training was expired for some employees.
• A slicer blade was soiled with old food debris.
• There was a buildup of grease under a grill.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

My Thai Restaurant, 3633 Cortez Road W., #B2, Bradenton

• Eggs, veal, pork and ground beef were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.
• Chlorine sanitizer in a bucket was not at the proper minimum strength. An inspector took a reading of zero. Corrective action was taken.
• The interiors of multiple reach-in coolers were soiled.
• A stand-up freezer was in disrepair, according to an inspector.
• The restaurant offered crab rangoon but did not indicate that imitation crab meat was in use. Corrective action was taken.
• There was no probe thermometer at hand to measure the temperature of food products.
• A knife block in use to store knives was not cleanable, according to an inspector.
• The interior of a microwave was soiled with encrusted food debris.
• Dry storage shelves were soiled.
• Employee food items were stored with food to be served to customers.
• Hood filters were soiled.
• A stove and a fryer were soiled.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

SketchDaddy’s Wings ‘n Things, 7814 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• Cooked pork stored in reduced oxygen packaging lacked a use-by date, according to an inspector.

• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance on/around soda dispensing nozzles.

• Burgers that were being held for future use were not properly date-marked.

• A spray bottle containing degreaser was unlabeled. Corrective action was taken.

• Reach-in cooler and freezer gaskets were soiled.

• The outer openings of establishment could not be properly sealed when the restaurant was not in operation.

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

• There was a heavy accumulation of grease under fryers.

• Boxes of food in a walk-in freezer were not stored at least six inches off of the floor.

• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint, according to an inspector.

• Employee items were stored in a food preparation area.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Jet’s Pizza, 9556 Buffalo Road, Palmetto

• Pizza sauce was cold held at a temperatures greater than 41 degrees.

• Walk-in cooler gaskets were soiled with slimy/mold-like build-up.

• A wall behind a three-compartment sink was soiled with accumulated black debris.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

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

• Ribs were date-marked as more than a week old. A stop sale was issued.
• Raw shell eggs were stored over spinach leaves.
• Hot water was not provided at an employee handwash sink.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink.
• Required training was expired for some employees.
• Straws and to-go cups were stored on the floor.
• The interior of a microwave was soiled with encrusted food debris.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.
  
  

Mr. Tequila Mexican Restaurant, 491 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• Shrimp, oysters and aslad were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued for the items due to temperature abuse.

• There was an accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.

• Multiple cutting boards were stained/soiled.

• A food manager’s certification was expired.

• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

• Proof of required training was expired for some employees.

• A soda gun was soiled.

• A walk-in cooler was pitted with rust.

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

• A reach-in cooler did not have an ambient air temperature thermometer.

• The interior of a convection oven was soiled.

• Tortilla chips were stored less than 6 inches off of the floor.

• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit.

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 May 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM.