6 restaurants around Bradenton, Sarasota 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 not properly sanitizing dishes and lack of employee food safety training.
Here is what inspectors found:
Cork & Kale, 6231 Lake Osprey Dr., Lakewood Ranch
Sanitizer used to sanitize equipment was not at proper minimum strength. An inspector took a sanitizer reading of zero. Corrective action was taken.
Smoked salmon was stored over cooked chicken in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
Butter chips and cream cheese were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse. The items were discarded.
Hamburgers and steaks that were being held for future use were not date-marked.
A soda gun nozzle was soiled with debris.
No test kit was at hand to measure the strength of sanitizer in use for warewashing and/or wiping cloths.
There was no hot water measuring device available to measure the heat in a dishmachine.
There was no proof provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report info about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. Corrective action was taken.
Hood filters were soiled with a buildup of grease.
In-use tongs were stored on an oven door handle. Corrective action was taken.
A vent over the cook line was peeling paint.
The restaurant met inspection standards.
Lucky Pelican Bistro, 6239 Lake Osprey Dr., Sarasota
- Dishmachine sanitizer was not at the proper minimum strength. An inspector advised setting up manual warewashing until the dishmachine was functioning properly.
- A can opener blade was soiled.
There was no proof provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report info about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
- Proof of required training was not available for some employees.
- There was food buildup on shelving used to hold frying batter.
- No handwash sign was posted at an employee handwash sink.
- Food warmers on the cook line were soiled with a heavy buildup of grease and debris.
- In-use tongs were stored on an oven door handle. Corrective action was taken.
- There was dust buildup on ceiling tiles and vents in the cook line area.
- The restaurant met inspection standards.
Stone River Retirement Community, 7360 55th Ave. E., Bradenton
- During a follow-up visit for previous violations, an inspector observed several unresolved issues.
Raw animal foods (turkey, beef and pork) were not properly separated from one another in a walk-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature.
There was no proof provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report info about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
Food was stored on the floor.
A kitchen entrance had a gap at the threshold that opened to the outside.
Another follow-up inspection was required.
Calú Comfort Food, 2119 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton
- During a follow-up visit for previous violations, an inspector observed several unresolved issues, including that there was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
- Another follow-up inspection was required.
Subway, 5810 Ranch Lake Blvd., Bradenton
- During a follow-up visit for previous violations, an inspector observed several unresolved issues, including that there was no certified food manager for the restaurant.
- Another follow-up visit was required.
Cypress Springs Gracious Retirement Living, 9085 Town Center Parkway, Bradenton
Raw animal foods (chicken and pork) were not properly separated from each other in a walk-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.
Cleaner was stored next to coffee filters in a wait station cabinet.
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.
There was no proof provided that food employees were informed of their responsibility to report info about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
Soup was stored uncovered in a walk-in cooler.
An open employee drink was stored in a cooler with food to be served to customers.
A case of food was not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor.
Floors in a dry storage are were soiled.
A chef was preparing food without a hair restraint.
Vents were soiled over a coffee station.
There was an accumulation of limescale on the inside of a dishmachine.
The establishment 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.