Inspectors find food safety issues at these 5 Bradenton-area restaurants, report says

Florida’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants routinely inspects restaurants, food trucks and other food service establishments for public health and cleanliness issues.

The reports are public information.

During the most recent inspections in Manatee County, restaurants were cited for issues including unsafe food temperatures and food that was too old to serve.

Other Bradenton and Longboat Key restaurants had problems with employee handwashing.

Here’s what inspectors found:

Gecko’s Grill & Pub, 7228 55th Ave. E., Bradenton — Inspected Dec. 13

• High priority: Sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength for manually washing dishes. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Cut tomatoes, pico de gallo, fish, raw ground beef, pasta, pastrami and cooked vegetables were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
  
  
• High priority: Rice and black beans and corn were hot held at temperatures less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: A stop sale was issued for meatballs with an unknown preparation date. The food was discarded.
• Intermediate: A can opener was soiled with mold-like substance. Corrective action was taken.
• Basic: Three violations, including hood filters soiled with grease and an accumulation of mold-like substance in an ice machine/bin.
• A follow-up inspection was required. During a follow-up visit the next day, food was again observed hot holding at a temperature of less than 135 degrees. Another follow-up inspection was required.
  
  

Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, 7650 Legacy Blvd., Lakewood Ranch — Inspected Dec. 13

• High priority: French onion soup and honey butter were more than a week old, according to their date markings.
• High priority: Chemicals were stored next to food items in a prep area. Corrective action was taken.
• Basic: Five violations, including an accumulation of mold-like substance in an ice machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Thai Garden, 7337 52nd Place E., Bradenton (Mobile food business) — Inspected Dec. 12

• High priority: Sanitizer was not strong enough for manual warewashing. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Raw chicken was stored over cooked noodles in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Intermediate: The establishment had no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea was discharged onto surfaces in the establishment.
• Intermediate: There was no proof provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
• Intermediate: There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• Basic: Two violations: A hood filter was soiled with grease and the interiors of two microwaves were soiled.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Ventura’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, 6814 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key — Inspected Dec. 14

• High priority: An employee handled their phone and then failed to wash hands before handling clean equipment. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: The restaurant was operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
• High priority: A spray bottle containing oven cleaner was stored next to food. Corrective action was taken.
• Basic: Six violations, including rusty walk-in cooler shelves, an employee phone stored on a food prep table and an accumulation of mold-like substance in an ice machine.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Wheat + Water Italian Kitchen, 7303 52nd Place E., Bradenton — Inspected Dec. 13

• High priority: Raw shell eggs were stored over unwashed lettuce in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Raw beef was stored over cooked beans in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Cooked pasta and cut tomatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Marinara sauce and meat sauce were hot held at temperatures less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Basic: Three violations, including hood filters soiled with grease and an accumulation of mold-like substance in an ice bin.
• 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 at www.myfloridalicense.com.

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 hand-washing issues or moldy drink machines — regardless of whether or not the businesses passed inspection.