Two Japanese restaurants in Royal Palm Place had bad inspections this week. Ichiyami Buffet had the biggest number with 39 total violations including 9 high priority. This is not the first sign of trouble. Last year they had one of the worst inspections we’ve seen, getting shut down with 49 violations including rodents and roaches and caught salvaging fish from old sushi for reuse. They have had some good inspections in between. Another big number was recorded by Yakitori Sake House in the same plaza, with 31 violations including 6 high priority and a couple of “stop sales”. They had a not-so-great inspection in May with 16 violations. Although these were bad, the worst inspection of the week goes to Golden Corral in Margate. They had 28 violations including some doozies, and were closed for a day. The worst of it:
Dented/rusted cans present, 1 can pineapple and mandarin oranges. See stop sale.
Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, or food storage area, in dessert area. **Warning**
Roach activity present as evidenced by 5 plus live roaches found in kitchen nestled between tiles in crack by hand wash sink, 1 on wall by chicken prep area, in kitchen 4 plus nestled between wall and crack in tiles by chicken and fish reach in cooler, in kitchen, 1 crawling on wall by buffet area, 1 on floor by reach in cooler, in kitchen, 4 plus in coffee prep area, off ware washing area. **Warning**
Roach excrement and/or droppings present, in various areas of the kitchen. **Warning**
Small flying insects in men’s restroom, approximately 10 plus. **Warning**
Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition, yeast bread dough, with flies on dough, in dessert area. 25 pounds.
Golden Corral “recovered” the next day with only 10 violations, still the 5th worst inspection of the week. Back in Royal Palm Place, Boca Breakfast & Lunch Club had 12 violations including 4 high priority. Good News Turning to the good news, it looks like we’re getting a new steakhouse. Mr. Prime Steakhouse had a perfect licensing inspection. The address puts it in the same location as the former Grill Time on the north side of Glades just west of the Turnpike (near Party City). The Subway in Sandalfoot had only one minor violation. Mama’s Pizza in Logger’s Run Plaza had only two violations. Moving to the not-terrible inspections, Stir Crazy in Town Center had 6 violations with 2 high priority; and Saquella Caffe in Royal Palm Place had 8 violations with 2 high priority. As usual, our spreadsheet for the week is below: [gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/allinsp-10-18-2015.pdf”]
Estia, the restaurant shown in the Facebook post for this article, had a perfect inspection. See below. Ichiyami Buffet & Sushi had the worst inspection in East Boca in the last few weeks, and one of the worst we’ve ever seen. The inspector on October 27th found 49 total violations – including 14 marked high-priority – and temporarily closed the place. The worst of it? Both roach and rodent activity was found:
Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Approximately 20 live roaches near walk-in cooler area by open containers of flour and chest freezer.
Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. 10 dry and 2 fresh rodent droppings by chest freezer near walk-in cooler and 15 dry and 2 fresh rodent droppings in dry storage room.
But we found something that bothered us even more than that:
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. All sushi rolls between 63 and 74° F in buffet sushi area. All sushi rolls are made with time marked rice from 11:30 AM. Sushi rolls were not discarded after the 4 hour limit. Sushi rolls were on display even after 4 hours. Also observed sushi rolls that were being discarded having fish removed for later use. This was then corrected by throwing the fish away. See stop sale issued. Observed tempura fried cucumber at 85° F at sushi bar under no temperature control. Raw beef and raw chicken by cooking station in buffet area at 49° F. … Observed employee attempting to save the fish and throwing the rice away on sushimi that should have been discarded.
They reopened the next day and the inspection showed only one violation, but we will not be visiting for a whileever. Ichiyami is on SE Mizner Blvd, south of Palmetto Park Road on the north side of Royal Palm Place. To be fair, their past inspections were much better. Close by in both location and number of violations, Altanour Meditteranean had 43 violations including 5 high priority in early November. Two of those were picky, having the wrong kind of Raid insect spray in the wrong place, but there were also significant food temperature and storage issues. Ordinarily 30 violations would “win” our inspection report, but TooJay’s on NW 19th near Town Center only managed third place. Six of the violations were marked high priority, and four involved hand washing. The inspection was this past Friday and was triggered by a consumer complaint. The Olive Tree on Federal Highway had 26 violations with “small flying insects in the dish washing area” the worst of it. And somehow this is considered high priority:
First aid supplies improperly stored. By tea bags.
Back in Royal Palm Place, Giovanni’s Pizza had 26 violations including food temperature and storage, and mold found on a couple of vegetables. In Mizner Park, Ruth’s Chris Steak House had 25 violations, with 6 high priority including dry rodent droppings found as well as small flying insects. The last of those over 20, Taco Prince on Federal Highway had 23 violations, with a couple involving hand washing and food storage. With “only” 13 violations, Ruby Tuesday’s in Mizner Park made bigger news. They were shut down for a day because:
Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Approximately 1 live by prep table, 2 live by warmer, 1 live by prep line, 1 live under prep table at cookline, 2 live by fryers, 1 live above fryers, 1 live at DELFIELD freezer, 5 live by ice cream freezer, 5 live by soda box storage, 1 live by fire extinguisher near cookline, 1 live by kitchen entry doors, 1 live by dishwasher, 1 live on dish table, 3 live under 3 compartment sink, 11 live on dish racks near dishwashing area, 1 live in clean utensil storage container in dishwashing area, 15 live on shelving unit in dishwashing area, 6 live on dry storage shelving, 1 live on rear prep table, 1 live by handwash sink in dishwashing area, 2 live on cookline cold holding drawer.
Our math isn’t great but that seems like a lot of roaches. They reopened the next day with zero violations.
Estia was perfect – Zero violations Turning to the good news, the best of this report was Estia Greek Taverna with a perfect inspection – no violations. They also did well in our May inspection report with only two minor violations then. We’ve been to Estia a couple of times and it’s a nice place with good food, though it’s an awkward location inside Royal Palm Place. Two licensing inspections were also perfect: The Sinful Sandwich on Federal north of Yamato, and the Subway in Palmetto Park Square (just east of I-95). Honorable mentions go to Morton’s in Town Center Circle and Souvlaki Fresh on NE 2nd, both with 2 minor violations. Other notables include Seasons 52 (4 violations) and nearby Madison’s (9); Grand Lux Cafe (5); and LaSpada’s Hoagies (8). Yard House in Mizner Park had 11 violations including one that makes us like them more:
Pet dog permitted in outdoor dining area without local ordinance allowing pet dogs in outdoor dining areas. No permit observed. Doggie bowls present.
A local ordinance is required to allow pet dogs in outdoor dining areas? And the city of Boca Raton doesn’t have such an ordinance? It’s a dumb requirement and also dumb that the city hasn’t dealt with this. Our spreadsheet for this report is below: [gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/eastboca-november-16.xls”]
