7 restaurants around Bradenton, Cortez, Anna Maria Island 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 issues including unsafe food temperatures and lack of employee handwashing; two restaurants had pest problems.

Here is what inspectors found:

Cortez Cafe, 12108 Cortez Road W., Cortez

• An inspector observed five rodent droppings underneath a handwash sink in the kitchen. Corrective action was taken.
• Cut ham and cut tomatoes were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Stainless steel cleaner was stored next to food. Corrective action was taken.
• Open sliced deli meats were not date-marked.
• A plastic container was blocking access to an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.

• No currently certified food service manager was on duty while four or more employees were engaged in food preparation/handling. Corrective action was taken. A certified food service manager arrived during the inspection.

• A container of chili was thawing at room temperature. Corrective action was taken.

• Floors were soiled underneath sinks, equipment and prep tables.

• Employee keys were stored on a slicer. Corrective action was taken.

• The restaurant’s current license was not displayed.

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

Star Fish Company, 12306 46th Ave. W., Cortez

• An inspector observed one live roach in an oven on the cook line.
• An employee handled money at a fish-selling station and then failed to wash hands before touching an ice scoop. An inspector advised the employee and a manager on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Chowder soup was hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees.
• An addition of a screened-in food preparation area had been made to the side of the establishment without approval from Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
  
  

• The screened in food preparation area was missing a handwash sink.

• Food was being prepared in a room that had screening in place of all or part of a wall.

• A can opener holder was soiled.

• Reach-in cooler gaskets were soiled.

• An ice scoop handle was contact with ice. Corrective action was taken.

• Floors were soiled underneath equipment throughout the kitchen.

• An employee with facial hair was preparing food without a beard guard.

• Employee personal items were stored in food preparation, storage and other restricted areas.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

The Parrot Patio Bar & Grill, 7230 52nd Place E., Bradenton

• Raw ground turkey was stored over cooked chicken. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee went from working at the soiled end of the dishwasher to the clean end without first changing gloves/washing hands. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Chicken stock in a 5 gallon container that was being held for future use had not been cooled from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within six hours. Corrective action was taken. A person in charge voluntarily discarded the chicken stock.
• A can opener blade was soiled with mold-like substance. Corrective action was taken.
• Cooked pasta that was being held for future use in a walk-in cooler was not date-marked. Corrective action was taken.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

La Villa Mexican Grill, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #5, Longboat Key

• A certified food manager or person in charge lacked knowledge of foodborne illnesses and symptoms of illness that would prevent an employee from working with food, clean equipment and utensils and/or single-service items. An inspector provided information about foodborne illness.

• There was no certified food manager for the establishment.

• There was no probe thermometer at hand to measure the temperature of food products.

• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.

• A wet wiping cloth was not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Corrective action was taken.

• Containers of chips were stored on the kitchen floor. Corrective action was taken.

• Floors throughout the kitchen were not maintained.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Fudge Factory, 117 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach

• There were no test kits at hand to measure sanitizer in use for warewashing and/or wiping cloths.
• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• Scoops were stored in an employee handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• The floor was torn in a store area.
• Waffle cones were stored on the ground in a dry storage area.
• The establishment’s current license was not displayed.
• There was an accumulation of black mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana & Bar, 6510 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• Salsa that was being held for future use had not been cooled from 135 degrees to 41 degrees within six hours. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse. Corrective action was taken. A restaurant operator discarded the food.
• Tortilla chips were stored in non-food-grade containers.
• A server handled dirty dishes and then failed to wash hands before handling clean utensils. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken.
• Warewashing sanitizer solution exceeded the maximum concentration allowed. Corrective action was taken.
• No paper towels were provided at a an employee bathroom handwash sink. Corrective action was taken.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Judy’s Restaurant, 9516 Cortez Road W., Bradenton

• An employee touched ready-to-eat bacon with bare hands. An inspector advised on proper food handling procedures. Corrective action was taken. The bacon was discarded.
• An employee washed hands in a prep sink. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedure. Corrective action was taken. The employee washed hands in a handwash sink.

• No currently certified food service manager was on duty while four or more employees were engaged in food preparation/handling. Corrective action was taken. A certified food service manager arrived during the inspection.

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

• There was soiling around nozzles on a soda machine.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

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.