8 restaurants around Bradenton, 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 lack of employee handwashing and unsafe food temperatures.

Here are restaurants that failed to meet requirements during recent inspections:

The Breakfast Company, 7246 55th Ave. E., Bradenton — Inspected Oct. 11

• High priority: Raw bacon and raw sausage were stored over butter in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Two batches of Hollandaise sauce were over a week old, according to their date-mark. A stop sale was issued due to food being in unsound condition, and the items were discarded.
• High priority: Butter that was supposed to be monitored using time as a public health control had no time-marking, and the time that the food had been removed from temperature control could not be determined. A stop sale was issued due to temperature abuse, and the butter was discarded.
• Intermediate: No currently certified food service manager was on duty while four or more employees were engaged in food preparation/handling.
• Basic: Three violations, including a food employee working without a hair restraint.
• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Don Beto Jaimes Restaurant, 6320 15th St. E., Sarasota — Inspected Oct. 12

• High priority: An employee handled dirty equipment and then failed to wash hands before handling clean equipment and utensils. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: An employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without first changing gloves/washing hands. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Raw beef was stored over ready-to-eat salsa in a reach in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• Intermediate: Food employees were handling raw beef and pork with bare hands. Corrective action was taken.

• Intermediate: 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.

• Basic: Nine violations, including produce stored on the floor and employee drinks stored on prep tables.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Fudge Factory, 117 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach — Inspected Oct. 10

• High priority: Hot fudge stored in a food warmer had a mold-like growth. The warmer was not in use. A stop sale was issued due to food being in unsound condition, and the hot fudge was discarded.
• High priority: A spray bottle of cleaner was stored on a shelf next to a box of single-use gloves.
• Intermediate: There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees.
• Intermediate: 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.
• Basic: 13 violations, including soiled floor areas, ice cream cups stored on the floor, an objectionable odor in a dry storage area and soiled freezer door handles.
• A follow-up inspection was required.

Island Creperie, 127 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach — Inspected Oct. 12

• High priority: A container of raw smoked salmon was stored directly on top of a container of sliced cheese. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Melted butter was hot held at a temperature less than 135 degrees. Corrective action was taken.
• Intermediate: Nozzles on a beverage-dispensing machine were soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.
• Intermediate: The restaurant’s menu did not identify smoked salmon as a raw animal product.

• Intermediate: 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.

• Basic: Five violations, including leaf debris in kitchen vents and frozen crepe batter thawing at room temperature.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Rice Bowl Asian House, 7305 52nd Place E., Bradenton — Inspected Oct. 13

• High priority: In various cooling units, raw shrimp was stored over cut onions, cooked noodles and cooked chicken. Corrective action was taken.

• High priority: Raw salmon was stored over unwashed produce. Corrective action was taken.

• High priority: An employee changed trash bags and then failed to change gloves/wash hands before working with food. Corrective action was taken.

• High priority: A stop sale was issued for tofu due to the food being in unsound condition after an employee handled it with soiled gloves.

• High priority: Raw garlic in oil was cold held at a temperature greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken.

• Intermediate: Reach-in cooler and freezer door handles were soiled with dried food and mold-like substance.

• Basic: Five violations, including wiping cloth sanitizer that was not strong enough and a food employee without a hair restraint.

• The restaurant met inspection standards.

Solorzanos Pizzeria Longboat Key, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #4, Longboat Key — Inspected Oct. 11

• High priority: Raw shell eggs were stored on a grate shelf above ready-to-eat cheese.
• Intermediate: An employee handwash sink had been removed from a food preparation/dishwashing area. An inspector advised that the sink must be reinstalled in the same location.
• Intermediate: There was no proof of required food safety training for any employees except for a certified food manager.

• Intermediate: 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.

• Basic: Nine violations, including a wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution, standing water in a reach-in cooler and soiled floor areas.

• A follow-up inspection was required.

Sonic Drive-In, 8803 U.S. 301, Parrish — Inspected Oct. 11

• High priority: An inspector observed an employee use bare hands to remove two grilled cheese sandwiches from the grill and wrap them in paper for a food order. A stop sale was issued for the sandwiches due to food being in an unsound condition. The items were discarded.
• High priority: Raw bacon was stored over fruit sauces and cooked beef chili in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Cheese, cut tomatoes and butter were cold held at temperatures greater than 41 degrees. Corrective action was taken. The tomatoes and cheese were moved to a walk-in cooler. A stop sale was issued for the butter and it was discarded.
• Intermediate: 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.
• Basic: Four violations, including an accumulation of mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine/bin.
• A follow-up inspection was required. The restaurant met inspection standards during a follow-up visit on Oct. 12.
  
  

Sushi Hana, 4274 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton — Inspected Oct. 10

• High priority: An employee was handling a cell phone and then failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to work with rice at a sushi-making station. Corrective action was taken. The employee washed hands and put on new gloves. A stop sale was issued for the rice and it was discarded.
• High priority: Raw shell eggs were stored over cream cheese in a walk-in cooler. Corrective action was taken.
• High priority: Raw animal foods (chicken and shrimp) were not properly separated from one another in a walk-in cooler based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Corrective action was taken.
• Basic: Four violations, including food items stored on the floor, hood filters soiled with grease and equipment gaskets soiled with mold-like substance.
• 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.