inspection – Page 14 – West Boca News

Another Good Week for Restaurant Inspections

There were no perfect inspections this past week, but there was a tie of restaurants each with only one minor violation.

Update: We are told by readers that Aladdin’s Eatery has changed its name to Lina’s Taverna

We’re calling Aladdin’s Eatery the winner, because they are a full-service restaurant with a broad menu and it was a routine inspection. They’re on St. Andrews just south of Glades near Town Center Mall. Yogurt Zone in Somerset Shoppes (Lyons & Glades) also had only one minor violation in a licensing inspection.

Runners-up with 2 violations include:

Brooklyn Boys Pizza in Shadowood
Jasper’s on 18th (SW 18th near Rise Sushi and Howard’s Market (minor violations)
The Shadowood Theater
Marco’s Pizza on Wiles in Coral Springs
Fro Yo Frenzy in Royal Palm Place (1 high priority)
Burger King on Atlantic in Delray Beach (1 high priority)
Dunkin Donuts & Baskin Robbin on Federal Highway in East Boca with 2 violations, both marked high priority

Lime Fresh Mexican in Shadowood also had a good inspection with 3 minor violations. Bluefin Express on Yamato near Broken Sound, Cannoli Kitchen on Powerline, and Outback Steakhouse on SW 18th all did well with 4 violations each.
Jimmy the Greek in Piccadilly Square (north side of Glades just west of the Turnpike and Boca Rio) and La Granja near Town Center Mall had 5 violations, each with one high priority. La Granja also had an earlier inspection the same week with 8 violations and 1 high priority. Both were “complaint” inspections.
Other notables include:

Friendly’s on Military Trail in Delray Beach (6 violations, 2 high priority)
Brooklyn Water Bagel on Powerline (6, 1)
Sybarite Pig in Shadowood (7, 1) – We ate there yesterday and still love it.
Ruven’s in Delray (7, 2)
Oishii Bento off St. Andrews near Town Center (11, 3)
Lindburgers on Military in Delray (12, 4)
Duffy’s on Hillsboro in Coconut Creek (13, 4)
Sicilian Oven off St. Andrews near Town Center (17, 6)
Boca’s Best BBQ on Glades west of Lyons (18, 4)

Sicilian Oven’s report was the worst of the group but still not that bad. The six high priority violations were:
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. – Dishmachine tested twice at 0 PPM.
Employee failed to wash hands before changing gloves and/or putting on gloves to work with food. Cook and Food Preparer changing gloves with no handwashing.
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. REACH IN COOLER – (Pizza Line) diced chicken 53° sliced sausage 51° pepperoni 50° (Cook Line) diced ham 46° sauces 45°
Server handled soiled dishes or utensils and then picked up plated food, served food, or prepared a beverage without washing hands. Multiple Servers scrapping soiled dishware, glassware, and flatware then going directly to handling and serving foods for final service.
Stop Sale issued on potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food due to temperature abuse.
Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. – at rear kitchen mop sink.
As usual our full spreadsheet is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/allinsp-3-6-2016.pdf”]

Bagel and Deli Disarray in Delray

Ruven's Deli in Delray Beach; image by Google — Ruven’s Deli in Delray Beach; image by Google

Bagel and Deli restaurants in Delray Beach lead our latest inspection report with the most violations. At the top of the pile is Ruven’s on Jog Road with 32 violations including 5 marked high priority and a stop sale for temperature abuse. Ruven’s had bad inspections last year (and here) as well.
The worst violations this time were:

All potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) foods in walk-in cooler cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Stuffed cabbage with beef 77°, mushroom barley soup 77°, chicken 45°, potato 44°-46°, corn beef 52°, chicken 47° all items discarded
Employee failed to wash hands beforechanging gloves and/or putting on gloves to work with food.
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Noodles and matzah balls at 93°, owner reheated items to 165° and above matzah and noodles 187° **Corrected On-Site**
Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food in reach-in cooler.eggs over ready to eat, cook moved yo bottom
Stop Sale issued on potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food due to temperature abuse. Stuffed cabbage with beef 77°, mushroom barley soup 77°, chicken 45°, potato 44°-46°, corn beef 52°, chicken 47° all items did not Reach proper temperature two items did not fall below 70°

Two other bagel places in Delray were in the top 4 this week, including The Original Bagel Tree on West Atlantic (23 violations, 6 high priority, stop sale for temperature abuse) and Gramercy Bagels & Deli on Jog (18 violations, 7 high priority, temperature abuse and dented/rusted cans). Palm Beach Bagel on Yamato was #5 with 16 violations (7 high priority).
Also in the worst 5 was Excell on Congress in Delray with 21 violations (7 high priority).

Closer to home, Tijuana Flats in Coconut Creek had 11 violations with 3 marked high priority. Bruce’s of Great Neck had 9 mostly minor violations. The Dunkin Donuts in Northwest Sandalfoot Plaza (by the Cumberland Farms) and the one in Westwinds of Boca (by Home Depot) had 5 violations each.
Carrabba’s at SW 18th and Powerline had 4 violations. Century Grill at Kimberly and Lyons tied with Cinebowl & Grille in Delray Marketplace for the best inspection of this week’s report with 3 minor violations each. Pei Wei on Beracasa was right behind them with 3 violations including 1 high priority.

Our spreadsheet for this report is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/allinsp-2-28-2016.pdf”]

Roaches: Three Strikes for Italian Restaurant in Delray

Live roaches on food prep table in kitchen
Cucina Fra Diavolo, an Italian restaurant in Delray Beach, was shut down for the third time in less than a year for roaches. Their inspection on Friday showed eight high priority violations including a stop sale for temperature abuse and roaches in various places including kitchen prep tables.

All potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) foods in reach-in cooler cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked veal 47°-48°, cooked chicken 49° stored in 7-Up reach-in cooler since 2/17/16. Stop sale issued.
Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. Opened, rusted can of cocktail sauce on food prep table.
Hotel and Restaurant license is expired. **Repeat Violation**
Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, or food storage area. Observed approximately 10 fruit flies in kitchen, approximately 10 fruit flies at urinal in men’s restroom.
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut lettuce 57°-62°, cut tomatoes 58°-61° on buffet line.
Raw animal foods not properly separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature in walk-in cooler. Raw chicken stored over raw salmon in walk-in cooler.
Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 2 live roaches on food prep table in kitchen by cookline, approximately 15 live roaches in crevice between the ceiling tiles and the wall in kitchen by the cookline, 4 live roaches on spice rack near pizza oven, 1 live roach inside of True reach-in cooler and 1 live on the outside of the door of the same cooler, 2 live roaches underneath True reach-in cooler by the compressor, 6 live roaches underneath ice cream chest freezer, 1 live behind dishmachine, 1 live roach on prep table in kitchen by expo station, 1 live roach behind unused ice machine in storage room between kitchen and bathrooms, 1 live roach on rafter above ice machine.. **Repeat Violation**
Stop Sale issued on potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food due to temperature abuse. All potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) foods in reach-in cooler cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked veal 47°-48°, cooked chicken 49° stored in 7-Up reach-in cooler since 2/17/16. Stop sale issued.

They were previously shut down in early February of this year and in May of last year, both times for roaches. We try not to be judgmental in these reports, but we wouldn’t eat at this place if you paid us.

China Gardens in Delray; image by Google

The biggest number in our report this week was for China Gardens, on Military Trail in Delray Beach just north of Atlantic. They had 21 violations including 6 marked high priority:

Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Coming in from outside and start food prep. **Corrected On-Site**
Employee failed to wash hands beforechanging gloves and/or putting on gloves to work with food. **Corrected On-Site**
Employee handled soiled dishes or utensils and then handled clean dishes or utensils without washing hands. **Corrected On-Site**
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands – food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed employee cutting lemons with bare hands.
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw shell eggs ambient 74° at cookline. Cut cabbage 60°, bean sprouts 61° on counter on cookline. Person in Charge placed items in walk-in cooler. Cooked pork 61°, cooked noodles 60° at expo line. Person in Charge placed items over ice. **Corrected On-Site**
Raw animal foods not properly separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature in walk-in cooler. Raw chicken stored over raw pork in walk-in cooler. Person in Charge repositioned chicken to lowest shelf. **Corrected On-Site**

In East Boca, Arturo’s on Federal Highway had 14 violations including 6 marked high priority and a stop sale on marinara sauce:

Stop Sale issued on potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food due to temperature abuse. 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. Marinara sauce in walk-in cooler 41°-48° cooling overnight. Person in Charge discarded sauce.

Others with somewhat high numbers include:

Far East Wok on Sample in Pompano, with 20 violations, but only 1 marked high priority.
Creative Catering on Congress in Delray (17, 3)
China & Japan Express, Deerfield (13, 1)
Taqueria Huetamo in Delray improved on their rodent dropping inspection in late January, this time with 13 violations, only 1 high priority.
Lucky Express on Clint Moore in Boca (11, 0)
Great Wall on Lyons in Coconut Creek (11, 1)
Village Cafe, Oriole Blvd in Delray (10, 3)

Steve's Wood Fired Pizza; image by Google — Steve’s Wood Fired Pizza; image by Google

On the good news side of things, our friends at Steve’s Wood Fired Pizza (Boca Lyons Plaza at Lyons and Glades) had a perfect inspection. It’s marked as a call-back in the spreadsheet but as a routine inspection on the licensing portal. Steve’s has consistently excellent inspections.
Paneterie on Jog in Delray (just north of Clint Moore) also had a perfect inspection.
Boston Market on Beracasa Way had only 1 violation.
Burger King in West Boca Square (the Target plaza on 441) had 2 minor violations.
Golden Corral on Congress in Delray had only 2 minor violations. That’s a very good showing for a buffet restaurant.
Cannoli Kitchen on Powerline in West Boca (near Olive Garden) had 2 minor violations. Tijuana Flats in the same plaza had 4 violations. Hong Kong Palace had 8 violations.
HotDog-Opolis on Glades near the Turnpike had 5 minor violations.
Chow Thai in Sandalfoot had 8 violations (1 high priority). Pei Wei on Beracasa also had 8 violations (3).
Puccini’s Pizzeria at Yamato and 441 had a licensing inspection with 8 violations including 2 high priority.
Our full spreadsheet for this report is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2-21-2016.pdf”]

Good Week for Inspections – Pollo Tropical Opening Soon?

We’re happy to report a relatively good week for restaurant inspections. Most notable to our readers is the perfect licensing inspection (zero violations) for the new Pollo Tropical in the Lowe’s plaza on 441 just north of Palmetto Park Road. In our experience the licensing inspection is done right around the time the place opens. We have asked the company (again) if they have an opening date. We will update if we get an answer. We first reported on Pollo Tropical coming back in January of last year.

Update: A reader tells us that he saw a sign on the new building indicating it will open this Wednesday, February 17th. Still no official word from the company.

Of the regular inspections the best we noticed was for the McDonald’s at Clint Moore and Jog Road, with 2 violations. No one had a terrible inspection. The biggest number was for Rotelli’s, also at Clint Moore and Jog, with 14 violations – but only one of the violations was marked high priority.

Next worst on the list was Bamboo Wok on Glades just west of Lyons. They had 12 violations, mostly at the lowest level but with 2 marked high priority.

Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands.
Raw animal foods not properly separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature in reach-in freezer, chicken over beef

We do not find this troubling. Bamboo Wok was our favorite local Chinese place and still is.
Most of the regular inspections in our report this week were outside Boca. For our full spreadsheet see below.
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2-14-2016.pdf”]

Cucina Fra Diavolo Shut Down Again for Roaches: Restaurant Inspection Report

Inspectors shut down Delray’s Cucina Fra Diavolo after finding roaches:

Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found…..3 live roaches in shelves ,2 live roaches underneath shelf by the ice cream freezer , 2 live roaches inside door gaskets in ice cream freezer , 5 roaches egg cases between shelf in kitchen prep area.

There were a total of 23 violations including 6 marked high priority:

Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, or food storage area. ….live small flying in kitchen prep area and station in front line.
Potentially hazardous (time/temperature control for safety) food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit……butter 70°/71° in server station , some butter being held more than 4 hours ( stop sale issue) operator discarded it. , some are 1 hours ( time marked butter )

They reopened the following day after a follow-up inspection. The same restaurant was also shut down for roaches in May of last year. Cucina Fra Diavolo is on Military Trail just north of Atlantic.

Also in Delray (on Atlantic west of Jog), Ho Ho Chinese had another bad inspection. This time they had 19 violations including 3 marked high priority. In December they had 28 violations with 4 high priority.
It wasn’t all bad news. We noticed good inspections for several restaurants. Domino’s Pizza on Powerline wins this report after a perfect inspection with zero violations. Others with good inspections include:

Chipotle (Glades & Butts) – 1 minor violation
The Wick (Federal Highway in East Boca) – 1 violation
Cheri’s NY Top Dogs (food truck) – 2 minor violations

Other notable inspections include:

Terra Fiamma (Delray Marketplace) – 14 violations, 4 high priority
El Balcon de las Americas (Powerline in Deerfield) – 14, 7
Hooters (NW 19th, just east of Town Center) – 10, 2
Rancheritos de Boca (Somerset Shoppes – Lyons at Glades) – 10, 2
Bamboo Wok (Coconut Creek) – 7, 1
Gyroville (near Hooters) – 7, 2
Pollo Tropical (Military Trail in Deerfield) – 7, 0
Romano’s Macaroni Grill (Military Trail north of Glades) – 5, 1

Also we saw four licensing inspections. The new Kanpai (Palmetto Park & Federal Highway) had five violations including one high priority, which is not great for a licensing inspection. We’ve been looking forward to this one and will try it.
The other three were perfect: Paladar Colombiano (Federal Highway in Boca); Talia’s Tuscan Market (NE 2nd Street in East Boca); and Hotdogopolis at 6020 N Federal Highway (Boca).
Our full spreadsheet is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/allinsp-2-7-2016.pdf”]