Delray: Rodent Droppings at Brooklyn Water Bagel

ByWarren Redlich

Image by Google
Image by Google

Dozens of rodent droppings were found in various places at the Military Trail location of Brooklyn Water Bagel in Delray Beach. Overall they were hit with 36 total violations last week, including 10 marked high priority. The worst of the bunch was not just the number of rodent droppings found (well over 100) but the locations of them:

Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Approximately 10 fresh rodent droppings in a food storage container with open bag of powder sugar, 2 fresh and 3 dry rodent droppings under food storage shelf in kitchen by 3 compartment sink, 2 dry in tea carton, 1 fresh on top of mustard container, 1 dry in powder sugar cup on kitchen shelf, approximately 30 fresh and 10 dry droppings on top soda syrup boxes, in kitchen, approx 100 dry droppings in muffing pan on wire shelf in dishwashing area, approx. 30 dry and 20 fresh droppings on floor in dish wash area, 2 fresh on top of cinnamon container in rear prep area, 15 fresh/moist and 20 dry droppings under prep sink in rear prep area, 15 dry in corner on the floor by the kitchen door to the hallway, approx. 2 fresh and 10 dry droppings under reach in cooler and microwaves on sandwich station, 2 and 3 dry droppings in dough prep area on top of chocolate chip bag, 3 fresh on floor in dough prep area, 3 dry on floor on frontline, approx 30 fresh and 20 dry droppings in dry storage room.

That’s a lot more than a Baker’s dozen. The other 9 high priority were:

  • Employee failed to wash hands beforechanging gloves and/or putting on gloves to work with food. Sandwich prep station. **Corrected On-Site**
  • Evidence of mop/cleaning wastewater dumped onto ground.
  • Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Rodent droppings. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized.
  • Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, or food storage area. In rear prep area near back door.
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter at room temperature in prep area at 72°f, butter was placed in to reach in cooler immediately. Smoked salmon at 48°f and ham at 50°f (both over stacked in containers in flip top cooler. Both items were placed in bottom of reach in cooler). **Corrected On-Site**
  • Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food. Raw salmon over egg salad in walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
  • Spray bottle with chemical/toxic substance stored near/on/above food preparation surface or food. Blue liquid cleaner in prep area. **Corrected On-Site**
  • Toxic substance/chemical stored by or with food. Spray bottles with cleaner stored with and over food on shelf by dish wash area.
  • Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Outside by back door.

The inspection report indicates the restaurant was temporarily closed with “Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.” Normally a restaurant when a restaurant reopens we see a follow-up inspection in the data. We don’t see one yet so it may still be closed.

Update – The company advises that they re-opened the next day and had a nearly perfect inspection, though the vacuum breaker still needs to be resolved.

Bagel Week (or maybe no-bagel week) continues as the second worst in the report was Gramercy Bagels, also in Delray (Jog Road), with 17 violations including 5 marked high priority. China Buffet on Hillsboro in Deerfield Beach was a close third with 16 violations (4 high priority).
As for the others, normally 3 violations would be a good inspection, but not for the Einstein Bagels on North Federal Highway in East Boca, which was shut down for a day due to live roaches:

Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found, Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found, 2 live roaches by front counter food storage area, 1 live by garbage can in dining room, 1 live under food / condiments display table in dining room, 1 live by broken base board in the front line food prep area, 3 live on counter next to yogurt case, 1 live on box containing register tape on the front line, 1 live under the food display case in the front line food prep area, 1 live under shelving by ovens in the food prep area, 1 live under reach in cooler on front line food prep area, 2 live under shelving in the food prep area.

They reopened the next day with a perfect inspection.
There were only 20 inspections this week, probably due to the holiday. None were in West Boca. The one good inspection went to Fit Food Fresh in East Boca, with just 2 minor violations.
Our spreadsheet for this week’s report is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/allinsp-11-30-2015.pdf”]