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5 Restaurants with Double-Digit Violations

ByWarren Redlich

We cover 54 restaurant inspections this week including five with 10 or more violations. Two of our favorite Mexican restaurants are on the list.

The biggest number this week was for Sushi Masa in Glades Plaza, between Town Center Mall and Butts Road. Inspectors reported 17 violations including 5 high priority:

  • Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly….chlorine 00 ppm.
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit…chicken 53°, bean sprouts 60°, tofu 53°, mushrooms 52° in flip top reach in cooler across from burner . Per employee food being held less than four hours. Employee covered the food with ice. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in reach-in freezer – not all products commercially packaged…raw sea food above noodles in tall white reach in freezer.
  • Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition…. Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food sushi rice held using time as a public health control marked with a time that exceeds the 4-hour limit. See stop sale report. Employee discarded food at time of inspection.

Two of our favorite Mexican places had bad reports: Rocco’s Tacos (Town Center Circle) and Blue Agave (Parkland). Rocco’s had 13 violations with 5 high priority including several food temperature issues and a stop sale:

  • Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee washed hands. **Corrected On-Site**
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cooked/heated yesterday/on a previous day not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within a total of 6 hours. Food has been cooling overnight. See stop sale. Green salsa (47°F – Cooling); red salsa (47°F – Cooling); chicken sauce (47°F – Cooling) at walk-in cooler . Food cooling in large plastic deep covered containers. Food cooling overnight. Discarded **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
  • Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food. Raw shelled eggs over sauce at walk-in cooler.
  • Stop Sale issued on potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food due to temperature abuse. Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Queso sauce (45°F – Cold Holding) held in walk-in cooler not maintaining 41°F for longer than 4 hours. Food discarded. See Stop Sale . At cookline cooler at end of line closest to dishwashing area- cut cabbage (50°F – Cold Holding); onions (52°F – Cold Holding); tomato (49°F – Cold Holding); empanadas (54°F – Cold Holding); eggs (52°F – Cold Holding); corn (48°F – Cold Holding); beans (49°F – Cold Holding); chicken (47°F – Cold Holding); cooked peppers (52°F – Cold Holding); hot dogs (51°F – Cold Holding); beef (50°F – Cold Holding); taquitios (50°F – Cold Holding); avocado ranch (49°F – Cold Holding); salsa (50°F – Cold Holding). All foods in cooler overnight . Food not maintaining 41F or below for longer than 4 hours .Items discarded. At front line: salsa (47°F – Cold Holding); cheese (45°F – Cold Holding); guacamole (45°F – Cold Holding) . Foods in cooler for less than 1 hour. Moved to working cooler. Corrective Action taken. Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cooked/heated yesterday/on a previous day not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within a total of 6 hours. Food has been cooling overnight. See stop sale. Green salsa (47°F – Cooling); red salsa (47°F – Cooling); chicken sauce (47°F – Cooling) at walk-in cooler . Food cooling in large plastic deep covered containers. Food cooling overnight. Discarded. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Blue Agave had 10 violations, 5 high priority:

  • Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. First test 0ppm, second 50ppm **Corrected On-Site**
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw beef 46°F, green chili 46°F, pico de Gallo 46°F, observed ambient of unit 60°F when I first arrived, cooked are going in and out of unit. Ambient of unit went below 41°F before the end of inspection. Advised to leave cooler close unit food reach below 41°F.
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cooked/heated yesterday/on a previous day not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within a total of 6 hours. Food has been cooling overnight. See stop sale. 20 lbs red beans (57-70°F – overnight Cooling); 30lbs shredded chicken (59-62°F overnight cooling); 30lbs ground beef (49°F) overnight cooling; 20qts fish broth (50°F – Cooling overnight) ; 20 lbs black beans (59°F – Cooling overnight)
  • Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. steak (112-132°F) chicken 107°F per cook prepared it 30 min ago for lunch. Reviewed with manager to use time or keep above 135°F. Food needs to be reheated to above 165°F.

Bluefin Sushi and Thai Grill on Yamato at Congress had 13 violations, 4 high priority.

Chops Lobster Bar in East Boca had 12 violations, 4 high priority.

As usual there’s also good news. The McDonald’s on Military Trail at Town Center Circle (just south of the Glades overpass) had a perfect inspection with zero violations.

Brio Tuscan Grille in the same plaza did well with just 2 violations. And in the same plaza we also see a licensing inspection for Copperfish Kitchen, a new high-end seafood place that should be opening any day now. The inspection had only 1 minor violation.

There are many others to report. Our spreadsheet is at bottom but here’s a list of highlights and not-so-high lights:

  • J Alexander’s on Glades near FAU (9 violations, 5 high priority)
  • Chili’s on 441 (9, 5)
  • Fornello in Somerset Shoppes (9, 2)
  • Vinny’s All Day Cafe in Woodfield Plaza (9, 4)
  • Le Bistro 2.0 on Sandalfoot (9, 1)
  • Pollo Tropical on 441 at Palmetto (9, 1)
  • My Place Cafe in Glades Plaza (7, 4)
  • Tap 42 in Town Center Circle (8, 4)
  • PF Changs on Glades near FAU (6, 3)
  • Orient Kitchen in Woodfield Plaza (6, 2)
  • Boston Market in Shadowood (5, 1)
  • Saito in Promenade (4, 2)
  • Chipotle on Glades at Butts (3, 2)
  • Panera in Town Center Circle (3, 1)
  • World of Beer in Promenade (3, 0)

Our spreadsheet is below: