Jap Traps: 30+ Violations at Ichiyami and Yakitori

ichiyami-mizner-park
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”]

Sapphire Indian in Royal Palm Place: Review

sapphire-front
Open for a few months now, Sapphire Indian Cuisine has replaced Maxie’s in Royal Palm Place. I stopped by today for lunch but forgot to take a picture of the front, so I used an old shot of Maxie’s just so readers would have a sense of where it is. Here’s a map also, showing it on the east side of Federal Highway south of Palmetto Park Road:

It has both indoor and outdoor seating. The colors are bright and go together well. My phone camera has been delivering poor results and will soon be replaced, but here’s the bar area, then the main interior and finally the outside dining area:
sapphire-bar
sapphire-inside
sapphire-outside
The staff were very pleasant, and most important, the food was good. I ordered the lunch “thali” which was $15 and came with three small entrees and several other items.
thali
It was a lot of food and I was unable to finish. The entrees included (clockwise from lower left) a chicken dish, one with lamb, and the third with shrimp. I didn’t recognize the names of any of them but all were very good. The first two were meaty and the third had only two shrimp but they were large. Continuing clockwise there was a bean based soup (dal), white rice, a yogurt dip, and pickled chutney. During ordering the waiter asked for my spice preference. I chose “American hot” but the dishes didn’t seem spicy.
The naan (bread – center of the picture) was just okay. Another picture I failed to take was the mango lassi (an Indian yogurt drink), but I caught it in the corner of the food shot:
lassi
This was the best mango lassi I’ve had in South Florida. It was richer and the mango was palpable rather than just a color and flavor.
The other lunch option is $14 and includes an entree, dessert and another item. The popular Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the options. There are many entrees on the regular menu mostly starting at $15, with some reaching up to the high twenty-dollar range.
Judging on quality, Sapphire is among the best Indian restaurants in the area. With nothing that style in West Boca, our closest options are in East Boca and Coral Springs. Punjab on Federal Highway north of Glades is in the same class as Sapphire. Bombay Cafe, south of Glades near Boca Regional Hospital, is more of a take-out place with lower prices but lacks the same feel and taste. We haven’t tried Kasi on Yamato near Congress and the Tri-Rail station but it appears to be less expensive with a more limited menu.
east-boca-indian
In Coral Springs there are a few Indian places on Sample going west from 441. The closest is the recently opened Taste Buds of India which we just tried and liked. Further west are Chutney & Pickle (excellent but spicy, with a reasonably priced lunch buffet) and Khana Kh’Zana (best vegetarian options).
indian-coral-springs
Getting an Indian restaurant in West Boca is at the top of our wish list for 2015. We have more people than either East Boca or Coral Springs. It’s hard to believe we don’t have one yet, but we’re hoping.