By Ryan Yousefi
A Margate restaurant has been ordered to stop serving customers for the second time this year due to inspectors’ discovery of a roach infestation.
Following a routine inspection by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Zoe Ladies Kitchen, located at 5634 West Sample Road, has again been ordered to stop operations.
The August 17 inspection of Zoe Ladies Kitchen revealed seven violations, including dead and live roaches, temperature control issues, and problems with sanitization practices.
Inspectors noted that some of the violations were serious enough to warrant an immediate closure, especially considering the restaurant’s recent history with similar issues, including a previous shutdown of similar breaches that occurred on March 21.
During the latest inspection, inspectors found evidence of dead roaches throughout the kitchen area, under a stainless steel reach-in cooler located directly beside the cook line, near an oven, and under a prep table behind the cook line.
The inspector notes in the report that the findings required immediate action from the operator, who began addressing and sanitizing the areas.
Live roaches were also spotted under a reach-in cooler, on the ground near the cook line, and, worst of all, inside a low-top cook line cooler.
While the roach infestation was of significant concern, the most severe violations that prompted a”Stop Sale” order were of the food safety variety, specifically due to temperature abuse.
The inspector found that cooked beef and vegetables were held in a cooler at 57°F for over two days and that the temperature remained unchanged despite a 30-minute monitoring period.
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