Dirty dining: Live roaches, handwashing issues found 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, two Anna Maria Island restaurants were cited for roach activity.

Other problems at Bradenton-area restaurants included lack of employee handwashing, unsafe food temperatures and improper storage of raw meat.

Here is what inspectors found.

Minnie’s Beach Cafe, 5360 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach

• An inspector found roach activity on site during an inspection on Aug. 10. The inspector observed two roaches in the kitchen area. One crawled under a fridge and one crawled under a dish area.
• An inspector observed one dead roach at the entry to a bathroom area.
• An inspector observed an employee making bare hand contact with ham and strawberries. Corrective action was taken. The employee washed hands and put on gloves.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• All of the establishment’s walls were soiled, according to an inspector.
• Two reach-in freezers and one reach-in cooler were stored in an area with public access.
• Gaskets were soiled on multiple coolers.
• A hood and hood vents in the main kitchen were soiled.
• A preparation table was soiled.
• An oven and a flat-top grill were soiled.
• The floor was soiled underneath equipment in the kitchen.
• An employee drink was stored on a food prep table.

• The ceiling, ceiling tiles, and/or ceiling vents were soiled.

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

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Hurricane Hanks, 5346 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach

• An inspector found roach activity on site during an inspection Aug. 10. The inspector observed two live roaches in a dry storage area.
• Sanitizer bucket solution was not at the proper minimum strength. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed dented cans of tomato juice and crushed pineapple in a dry storage area.
• A cook failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to work with food, according to an inspector. The inspector advised on proper procedure.
• A wet wiping cloth was not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Corrective action was taken.
• To-go containers were not stored inverted to prevent contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• Multiple reach-in coolers were soiled.
• The interior of an ice machine was soiled.
• The interiors of two ovens were soiled.
• The floor was soiled under equipment in the kitchen and racks in a dry storage area.
• Employee items were stored in a food preparation area. Corrective action was taken.
• Ceiling tiles in the main kitchen were soiled, according to an inspector.
• There was a hole in ceiling near a dry storage area.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit the next day.

Dunkin’, 3302 E. Bay Dr., Holmes Beach

• An inspector observed an employee touch their mask and then fail to wash hands before putting on new gloves. The inspector advised on proper procedure. Corrective action was taken.

• Sliced cheese and cooked sausage were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken. A manager moved the items to another cooling unit and placed a service call for the reach-in cooler.

• An employee cell phone was stored on a food prep table. Corrective action was taken.

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

Swordfish Grill, 4628 119th St. W., Cortez

• An inspector observed a server handle dirty dishes and then fail to wash hands before getting a salad from a cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw ground beef was stored over cooked chicken in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Six cans of chopped clams and one can of salsa were dented. A stop sale was issued.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution was not at the proper minimum strength. Corrective action was taken.
• Single-service items were stored unprotected from contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were soiled.
• There was no handwashing sign posted at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.
• A cook was not wearing a hair restraint, according to an inspector. Corrective action was taken.
• Three drains were missing drain covers.
• Cutting boards had cut marks and were no longer cleanable.
• Three ice machines had accumulations of mold-like substance inside.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

China 1, 3236 E. Bay Dr., Holmes Beach

• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw ground pork was stored over potatoes in a reach-in freezer. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed an employee handle a cell phone and then fail to wash hands before touching clean utensils. The inspector advised on proper procedure.
• A cutting board in the kitchen was soiled.
• Required food safety training was expired for all employees.
• Walls throughout the kitchen were soiled.
• The interiors of two reach-in coolers were soiled.
• Hood filters were soiled.
• The exteriors of multiple food storage containers were soiled.
• Bags of tofu were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.
• An open employee drink container was stored on the cook line. Corrective action was taken.
• 12 ceiling tiles in the kitchen and four in the dining area were soiled, according to an inspector.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Buffalo Wild Wings, 4120 14th St. W., Bradenton

• American cheese, Swiss cheese, cut lettuce, cut tomatoes, cooked onions and guacamole were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. The items had been held in the unit overnight. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse, and a manager discarded them.
• A spray bottle containing a cleaning substance was stored next to food on the cook line. Corrective action was taken.

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

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

• An employee handwash sink at the bar did not have hot water, according to an inspector.

• The interiors of all reach-in coolers on the cook line were soiled.

• The floor was soiled under all of the equipment on the cook line.

• There was standing water on the floor in front of a walk-in freezer.

• An employee phone and shirt were stored above a food prep table. Corrective action was taken.

• Dry storage shelves were pitted with rust.

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

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

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

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

• A dishwashing machine was not sanitizing properly. Corrective action was taken. A manager called a technician who arrived on site and fixed the dishwasher.
• An inspector observed cheese quiche that was date-marked as more than a week old in a reach-in cooler. A stop sale was issued. Corrective action was taken. A manager discarded the food.
• Sliced cheese was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• A can opener blade was soiled. Corrective action was taken.
• There was soiling around soda nozzles on a soda machine.
• There was standing water under a dishwashing sink.
• An employee phone was stored above a food prep area. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of debris inside of a warewashing machine. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Salt & Pepper Cafe, 608 14th St. W., Bradenton

• Dishmachine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. An inspector took a sanitizer reading of zero. Corrective action was taken.
• An inspector observed an employee crack raw shell eggs and then fail to wash hands before handling clean equipment. The inspector advised the employee and a manager on proper procedure.
• An inspector observed an employee handle raw chicken and then change gloves without washing hands in the process. The inspector advised the employee and a manager on proper procedure.
• Raw eggs were stored over ready-to-eat cherries and pickled peppers. Corrective action was taken.
• Butter that was supposed to be cold held was stored at room temperature. The butter had been held out overnight. A stop sale was issued. Corrective action was taken. The butter was discarded.
• The establishment offered raw/undercooked animal food without a written consumer health advisory. Corrective action was taken.
• Dry storage shelves were pitted with rust.
• Cutting boards had cut marks and were no longer cleanable.
• A walk-in cooler fan cover was rusted.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

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

• A dishwasher failed to wash hands before handling clean dishes, according to an inspector. The inspector advised the employee and a manager on proper procedure.
• An inspector observed an employee handle raw fish and then change gloves without washing hands in the process. The inspector advised the employee and a manager on proper procedure.
• Eggs were stored over cooked ham and sausage on the cook line. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw ground beef was stored over cut and washed mushrooms in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Sliced ham was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• There was soiling around soda nozzles.
• Shelves underneath a grill area were soiled.
• There were gaps at the thresholds of two rear exit doors that opened to the outside.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Peach’s Restaurant, 3201 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

• An inspector observed an employee return from the restroom and then fail to wash hands before handling clean gloves. The inspector advised on proper procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Eggs that were supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control had no time-marking, and it could not be determined how long the food had been removed from temperature control. Corrective action was taken. A manager recorded a time stamp for the eggs.
• A spray bottle containing cleaning fluid was stored next to a container of salt. Corrective action was taken.
• Sliced cheese was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• To-go containers were not stored inverted to prevent contamination. Corrective action was taken.
• Employee drinks were stored on a food preparation table. Corrective action was taken.
• A drain cover was missing.
• 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 August 26, 2021 at 6:00 AM.