By Kevin Deutsch
Two Coconut Creek restaurants were briefly shut down last week by state health inspectors who found multiple sanitary violations, records show.
According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Wingstop at 4570 Lyons Rd. was ordered closed on Oct. 26 after inspectors cited the business for two “high priority” violations for issues with flies and a water faucet.
“Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area,” inspectors wrote. “Approximately ten live flies at mop sink in kitchen, eight live flies landing on boxes of single service items in dry storage in kitchen. Approximately 20 live flies at walls over front register counter. Approximately ten live flies on walls in dining room.”
They also found a “vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet,” the records show.
The following day, inspectors returned for an emergency callback order and found the issues resolved, according to the state. The restaurant was allowed to reopen.
A second restaurant, Ernest Deli at 5369 Lyons Rd., was ordered closed on Oct. 24 after inspectors discovered ten violations, five of which were considered high priority, records show.
“Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area,” the inspectors wrote. “Approximately 15 live flies at dishwasher station door frame in kitchen. Approximately ten live flies landing on shelving for wrapped single-service items in dry storage room. Approximately ten live flies landing on boxes on storage racks for single service items in dry storage room. Two live flies landing on drying pans in dish room in kitchen. Approximately 15 live flies landing on walls in dining room. Approximately 25 live flies on walls of front serving counter.”
Inspectors also found an “accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin…. “raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food…at walk-in cooler, smoked salmon stored over unpeeled onions… shell eggs not stored at an ambient air temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less,” and a “walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface,” among other issues, the records state.
Inspectors returned twice the following day for emergency callback orders until the violations were corrected, according to the state. The deli was allowed to reopen.
The state regularly conducts inspections of public food, service, and lodging establishments to ensure compliance with Florida’s sanitation and safety laws.
According to the state, each inspection report is a “snapshot” of conditions at the time of the inspection.
“On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection,” according to the agency. “An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment. Because conditions can change rapidly, establishments are not graded or rated.”
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