5 Polk County restaurants fall short of inspection standards. Four are perfect
Five Polk County restaurants were handed warnings or administrative complaints that required a follow-up inspection during the week from Jan. 15 to 21, according to state inspection reports.
Out of 51 total inspections for the week, 46 met standards, and four of those passed their initial inspection with zero violations. (An initial inspection is one that wasn’t a callback mandated by previous violations.)
Only one eatery in the county, Schack's BBQ on Cypress Garden Road in Winter Haven, received an insect violation – in this case, a single dead roach under the prep counter that was cleaned while the inspector was there (a basic violation). That restaurant met standards overall.
The five restaurants that fell short of standards did so for a wide variety of reasons. Of the 24 total violations among them, none were for insects or rodents, and eight were related to licensing or employee training. For instance, a restaurant can be gigged if their employees’ state-mandated food-safety training is expired or the operator fails to provide proof of the training. One restaurant’s state license was expired.
>> INTERACTIVE: Explore all restaurant inspections in Polk County.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation conducts the inspections and cautions that the reports are not necessarily a sign of normal conditions at the restaurant.
The Ledger provides a detailed explanation of the violations that caused restaurants to fall short of standards during the week so you can decide.
Restaurants that require follow-ups
Mannino Pizzeria, 43362 U.S. 27, Davenport: On Jan. 16, the restaurant received seven violations, six of which were intermediate. Among those, one was for a soiled can-opener blade. Another was for not having a chemical test kit for sanitizer at the three-compartment sink. Two violations involved the handwash sink – no soap and no hand-drying towels or device. Another intermediate violation was for an unlabeled spray bottle containing a toxic substance – in this case degreasing solution. And the final intermediate violation was for state-mandated training that was expired for all employees. The restaurant received one basic violation: The inspector’s report said all the stand-up reach-in coolers in the kitchen were soiled with debris.
Jan. 8-14: 8 Polk restaurants fall short of standards in latest inspections. See the reasons here
The End Zone Lakeland, 6206 U.S. 98 N., Lakeland: On Jan. 17, On Jan. 17, the restaurant received five violations, including one high-priority and two intermediate. The high-priority violation was for dishmachine sanitizer that wasn’t at the proper strength. An employee fixed the issue by replacing the empty chorine canister while the inspector was there. One of the intermediate violations was for a slicer that was soiled with food debris. The other was for a handwash sink that had been removed from the food prep area. The inspector said it must be reinstalled in the same location. Finally, the restaurant had two basic violations. One for an in-use utensil that wasn’t stored properly: “with handle above top of food within a closed container.” The other was for gaskets in the flip-top unit on the cookline that were soiled with food debris.
La Granja Chicken Steak and Seafood, 3919 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland: On Jan. 18, the restaurant received five violations. Three were intermediate, and all three of those were related to employee training. Two violations were basic: one for cases of beef and chicken stored on the floor of a walk-in freezer and walk-in cooler, and another for a light in the dry storage area missing a proper shield.
Dona Julia's Restaurant, 5375 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland: On Jan. 18, the restaurant received four intermediate violations, three of which were related to employee training. The other was for failing to date containers of ready-to-eat food prepared on-site. An employee dated the containers while the inspector was there.
Dairy Queen Cypress Gardens, 511 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven: On Jan. 19, the restaurant was hit with three violations, two basic and one high-priority. The high-priority was for an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. The basic violations were for soiled ceiling tiles throughout the kitchen and a grease-receptacle lid that was open. The operator closed the lid.
Jan. 1-7: In first week of year, no Polk restaurants are gigged for pests. But 8 require follow-ups
Perfection
So many small things can derail a restaurant inspection. That’s why it’s impressive when a food vendor has a perfect initial inspection. Here’s a look at the four vendors that did so from Jan. 15 to 21.
Rslnt Nutrition LLC, caterer at 502 E. Main St., Lakeland (Catapult).
Championsgate Top Tracer, 8595 White Shark Blvd., Davenport.
Skippers Down East Galley, 43360 U.S. 27, Davenport.
Snackatory, 905 N.E. 5th St., Mulberry
Keep in mind as you read
Remember that in some cases, violations are noted are technical issues not directly linked to hygiene or cleanliness. Remember, too, that broken refrigerators, chipped tiles or fast work may add up to unintended mistakes.
Regardless, if you notice abuses of state standards, report them and DBPR will send inspectors. Call 850-487-1395.
The terminology
What does all that terminology in state restaurant inspections mean?
Dec. 25-30: In a light week of inspections, 4 Polk restaurants fall short of standards. One is perfect
Basic violations are those considered against best practices.
A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.
An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: “Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over.”
An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.
A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license and the establishment may reopen only after inspection shows that all high-priority violations that caused the suspension are corrected.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 5 Polk County restaurants fall short in inspections from Jan. 15 to 21
