7 restaurants around Bradenton, AMI, Lakewood Ranch 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, local restaurants were cited for issues including unsafe food temperatures and lack of employee handwashing.

Here is what inspectors found:

Atria Cafe, 4120 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch

• Dish machine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. An inspector took a sanitizer reading of zero. Corrective action was taken.

• An employee was cutting and handling peeled avocados with bare hands. A stop sale was issued and the avocado was discarded.

• A slicer blade was soiled. Corrective action was taken.

• The top of a pizza oven was soiled. Corrective action was taken.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet, 3616 First St., Bradenton

• Mussels, soft shell crab, raw shrimp, cooked shrimp, flounder, calamari, krab salad, cooked chicken, raw chicken, pork, sausage, cooked beef, raw beef, milk, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bok choy, bean sprouts and cooked pasta were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees in a walk-in cooler. A stop sale was issued for all of the items due to temperature abuse, and they were discarded.
• The business was operating with and expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license.

• 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.

• Hood vents were soiled with grease.

• Gaskets on cooling units were soiled with mold-like substance throughout the kitchen.

• Food racks were soiled with dried food particles.

• There was standing water on the floor throughout the kitchen and a walk-in cooler.

• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.

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

GTwo Pizzeria, 653 10th St. E., Palmetto

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

• A manager or person in charge lacked food manager certification.

• 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.

• An exterior door had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.

• A cutting board had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Rock Inn Restaurant, 2112 Second Ave. E., Palmetto

• Raw eggs were stored over produce in a reach-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• There was no test kit at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing and/or wiping cloths.

• 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.

• No handwashing sign was posted in an employee restroom.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

The Granary, 2547 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch

• An employee handled dirty dishes and then failed to wash hands before handling clean dishes.

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

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

• A handwash sink did not have enough water pressure to properly wash hands.

• 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.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe, 4000 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach

• An employee returned from the bathroom and failed to wash hands before putting on gloves. An inspector advised on proper handwashing procedures. Corrective action was taken.
• After working with dirty dishes, an employee failed to change gloves/wash hands before handling clean dishes. An inspector advised on proper handwashing and glove use. Corrective action was taken.
• Wiping cloth sanitizing solution that exceeded the maximum concentration allowed was stored in a location that could have resulted in the cross-contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens or single-use items. Corrective action was taken.
  
  
• There were no written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to monitor potentially hazardous food items.
• Walk-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust.

• Utility lines were unnecessarily exposed over an ice cream serving area.

• There was unsealed concrete flooring in the main kitchen area.

• An employee was preparing food without a hair restraint. Corrective action was taken.

• A cutting board had cut marks and was no longer cleanable.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Skillets, 9722 S.R. 64 #120, Bradenton

• Swiss cheese and provolone cheese were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Cooked potatoes that were supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control had no time marking, and the time they removed from temperature control could not be determined. Corrective action was taken.
• An employee washed hands in a non-handwashing sink.
• No test kits were at hand to measure the strength of sanitizers in use for dishwashing and/or cleaning wiping cloths.
• Containers of frozen pooled eggs were thawing at room temperature. Corrective action was taken.
• Containers of clean bowls were stored on the floor. Corrective action was taken.
• There was an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
• 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.

This story was originally published April 10, 2023 at 10:18 AM.