Pensacola restaurant temporarily closed after 131 rodent droppings found in latest inspection

Here's the breakdown of recent restaurant inspections in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties for the week of Feb. 26-March 3. Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So, every week, we provide that information for you.

During the latest round of inspections from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, one restaurant was temporarily closed, four restaurants received high priority violations and 14 restaurants passed their first inspection with zero violations.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a ‘snapshot’ of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

One restaurant temporarily closed

Chelle’s Soulfood on Tha Go

405 E. Gonzalez St.

  • Inspection details: Routine inspection on Feb. 26Follow-up inspection: Operations ordered stopped until violations were corrected. After a second failed inspection on Feb. 27, the restaurant met inspection standards in a third visit the same day on Feb. 27.

  • Total violations: Two total violations, with one high priority violation.

  • Details of high priority violations:

  • From Feb. 26 inspection:

  • High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed approximately 131 rodent droppings in the following locations: approximately five under three compartment sink next to back prep table , approximately 75 under prep table in back of kitchen, and approximately 53 in mop sink located at back of kitchen. **Warning**

  • From Feb. 27 inspection:

  • Upon inspection observed approximately 15 rodent droppings in the the back of fryers and flat grill. **Time Extended**

Four restaurants receive high priority violations:

Khon’s on Palafox

34 S. Palafox St.

  • Inspection details:  Routine Inspection on Feb. 27Follow-up inspection: Violations require further reviereview butw, but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is required.

  • Total violations: Four total violations, with one high-priority violation

  • Details of high priority violations:

  • High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed one live roach under bar in drain. **Warning**

Pho Real

8102 N. Davis Highway J

  • Inspection details: Routine Inspection on Feb. 29Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public. A time extension was given March 1 and a follow-up inspection is still required.

  • Total violations: Eight total violations, with eight high-priority violations

  • Details of high priority violations:

From Feb. 29 inspection:

  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours. See stop sale. Noodles in standing reach-in coolers at 79 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours.

  • 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. Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer at 10 parts per million at time of inspection. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from one another based upon minimum required cooking temperature when stored in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Raw chicken removed from original packaging over raw pork in reach-in freezer.

  • High Priority - Shell eggs not stored at an ambient air temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Raw shell eggs at 60 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. **Repeat Violation**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Tofu at 53 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours, Noodles in standing reach-in coolers at 79 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours, At front counter reach-in coolers: precooked noodles 52 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, bean sprouts 49 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. Kitchen reach-in cooler: sprouts 49 degrees Fahrenheit over four hours, cambro of sprouts 60 degrees Fahrenheit over four hours.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Tofu at 53 degrees Fahrenheit more than four hours, see stop sale. Raw chicken 50 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food prepared from/mixed with ingredient(s) at ambient temperature not cooled to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within four hours. See stop sale. At front counter reach-in coolers: precooked noodles 52 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, bean sprouts 49 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. Kitchen reach-in cooler: sprouts 49 Fahrenheit over four hours, cambro of sprouts 60 degrees Fahrenheit over four hours. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Rice in rice cooker at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Operator turned rice cooker back on to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • From March 1 inspection:

  • Dishmachine awaiting servicing. Time extended to original seven days. **Time Extended**

China Fun

4916 Highway 90, Pace

  • Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on Feb. 27Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is still required.

  • Total violations: Seven total violations, with one high-priority violation

  • Details of high priority violations: High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook line counter - cooked rice 54 degrees Fahrenheit per operator less than one hour. Advised operator to place cooked rice in cold hold at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tokyo Express

5572 Woodbine Road, Pace

  • Inspection details: Routine Inspection on Feb. 26Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is still required.

  • Total violations: Four total violations, with one high-priority violation

  • Details of high priority violations: High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw scallops over ready-to-eat egg rolls in walk in freezer.

14 restaurants receive perfect score

  1. Cold Water County Store, mobile

  2. Dewey Destin’s Navarre, mobile

  3. Dewey Destin’s Seafood Restaurant of Navarre, 8673 Navarre Parkway

  4. Juanas Pagodas and Sailors Grill, 1451 Navarre Beach Causeway

  5. Mex-N-Go, mobile

  6. Einswine, mobile

  7. Eurasian Bistro, 3 West Main

  8. Food Vendor (at Pensacola RV Park), mobile

  9. Lupita’s Mexican Fast Food, mobile

  10. Mr. Pollo, 8710 Pensacola Blvd.

  11. Peg Leg Pete’s Underwhere Bar, 1010 Fort Pickens Road

  12. Subway 40117, 4600 Mobile Highway, Suite 122

  13. Wingstop, 1531 E. Nine Mile Road, Unit A4

  14. Zaxby’s. 121 E. Nine Mile Road

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishment

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

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.

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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola restaurant temporarily closed for 131 rodent droppings