Six restaurants around Bradenton, Ellenton, Palmetto 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 problems including lack of employee handwashing and raw meat and eggs stored over food.

Here is what inspectors found:

La Belle Fourchette, 5108 15th St E #209, Bradenton (inside Oneco Farmers Market)

• An employee handled cash and then failed to change gloves/wash hands before preparing food. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Chicken turnovers were hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse. The food was discarded.
• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• Chicken, beef and pork that were being held for future use in a reach-in cooler were not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• Food was stored on the floor in the front kitchen area. Corrective action was taken.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Oh Greek, 5475 Factory Shops Blvd., Ellenton (Ellenton Premium Outlets food court)

• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink.
• A water filter on an ice machine did not have a recent date of service per manufacturer’s instructions.
• No paper towels were provided at an employee handwash sink.
• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink.
• A cutting board was blocking access to an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• Heavily soiled towels were in use in a food prep area.
• Washing towels were stored in dirty water with no sanitizer.
• An exhaust hood and a flat top grill and stand were heavily soiled.
• A case of lettuce and gyro bread were stored on the floor in a walk-in cooler.
• An ice machine was missing both side panels.
• A kitchen employee was not wearing a hair restraint.
• An employee cap was stored on a prep table.
• Cutting boards were heavily grooved and no longer cleanable.
• The restaurant’s current license was not displayed.
• There was a mold-like buildup in an ice machine.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Cortez Kitchen, 4528 119th St. W., Cortez

• Raw animal foods (beef and fish) were not properly separated from each other based upon minimum required cooking temperature in a reach-in cooler.

• Ice that came from a fishery was stored in buckets stacked on top of one another in a cooling unit. A stop sale was issued due to food not being in sound, wholesome condition. The ice was discarded.

• Hush puppies were cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. The food had been stored since the restaurant opened. A restaurant operator discarded them.

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

• A soda holster in the bar area was soiled.

• No test kit was at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing and/or wiping cloths.

• Floors were soiled between pieces of equipment throughout the kitchen.

• Employee personal food was not properly separated from food to be served to the public.

• There was an accumulation for dust on the ceiling over a food prep area.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Vacci Pizza + Cucina, 4406 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton

• An employee was handling soiled dishes and then failed to change gloves/wash hands before going to work with clean dishes. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Pizza by-the-slice that was supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control was not time-stamped. Corrective action was taken. A person in charge discarded the pizza.
• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.
• An open package of ricotta cheese was not properly date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• Meat sauce that was being held for future use was not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Riviera Dunes Dockside, 102 Riviera Dunes Way, Palmetto

• An employee dried hands on a soiled towel. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Raw shrimp and beef were stored over shredded cheese and cooked vegetables in a reach-in cooler drawer. Corrective action was taken.
• A slicer blade and a mixer head were soiled.
• An employee handwash sink on the side of the cook line had no hot water.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.

• Floors under all equipment and floor drains in the bar area were soiled.

• All ceiling vents in the kitchen were soiled.

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

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

The Barnyard, 5108 15th St. E. #209, Bradenton (inside Oneco Farmers Market)

• An employee who was preparing food washed hands with no soap. An inspector advised on proper handwashing. Corrective action was taken.

• Raw shell eggs were stored over salad dressing and washed produce. Corrective action was taken.

• The establishment was operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.

• No soap was provided at an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

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

• Proof of required food safety training was not available for one employee.

• 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.