8 restaurants around Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, AMI get poor health inspections

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 holding meat, seafood and other items held at unsafe temperatures. Other issues at Bradenton area restaurants included employee handwashing errors and lack of employee training.

Here is what inspectors found:

Rice Bowl Asian House, 7305 52nd Place E., Bradenton

• Raw chicken was stored over soy sauce containers in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.

• An inspector observed an employee handle raw chicken and then wash off gloves instead of changing gloves and washing hands. The inspector advised on correct handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.

• Salmon, tuna, yellow fin tuna and imitation crab were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees at a sushi-making station. Corrective action was taken. The items were moved to a freezer for rapid cooling.

• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.

• Chicken was thawing in a container of standing water on the floor. Corrective action was taken.

• No copy of the restaurant’s latest inspection report was available.

• Food items were stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.

• A drain cover was missing under a three-compartment sink.

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

Olympic Cafe, 6408 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

• A toxic substance (fryer cleaner) was stored next to wax paper and bamboo picks. Corrective action was taken.
• The business was operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.

• No currently certified food service manager was on duty while four or more employees were engaged in food preparation and/or handling.

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

• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.

• Cutting boards had cut marks and were no longer cleanable.

• Two pairs of in-use tongs were hanging on equipment. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator removed the tongs to for cleaning.

• An employee was drinking from a cup on the cook line. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Hungry Street Bradenton, 5704 14th St. W., Bradenton (food truck)

• Raw beef, cooked beef, ham, chicken and mayonnaise sauce were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse, and the food was discarded.
• Raw beef, cooked beef and chicken that were being held for future use were not date-marked.
• Bottled water and soda was stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.
• The floor was soiled under a fryer.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit the next day.

Inkawasi Restaurant, 10667 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch

• Cooked pork, raw pork, raw beef, mussels, clams, octopus, calamari, squid, raw shrimp, raw fish, cooked chicken, garlic and oil sauce, sauce with milk, rice and beans, carrots and peas,cooked plantains, yuka, pasta and rice were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a reach-in cooler. The items had been held overnight. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse, and the items were removed to be discarded.
  
  
• Raw shrimp was thawing on a prep table. Corrective action was taken. The shrimp was relocated to a cooler for thawing.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Salad Bar, 5912 18th St. E., Ellenton

• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• A handwash sink was being used to store cleaning supplies. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee used a non-handwash sink to wash hands. Corrective action was taken.
• Soda and apple pie filling were stored on the floor.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Domino’s Pizza, 5606 Marina Dr., Holmes Beach

• Proof of required employee food safety training was expired. There was no current proof of training for any employees.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Tacos Morelos, 15th St. E., Bradenton (food truck)

• A manager or person in charge lacked food manager certification.
• There was no proof of required food safety training for one employee.
• The mobile food dispensing vehicle license number was not properly displayed on the vehicle.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Dunkin’, 5235 14th St. W., Bradenton

• An employee changed gloves without washing hands. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• No soap was provided at two employee handwash sinks. Corrective action was taken.
• Reach-in cooler and walk-in cooler gaskets were soiled with mold-like substance.
• Milk and ice were stored on the floor.
• An employee with facial hair was preparing food without a beard guard.
• No copy of the restaurant’s latest inspection report was available.
• The restaurant’s current license was not displayed.
• 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.