Pensacola Beach eatery closed over sewage back up; Perdido spot cited for rodent droppings
Here's the breakdown of recent restaurant inspections in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties for the week of April 1-7. 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, one restaurant received an administrative complaint, six restaurants received at least one high priority violation and 29 restaurants passed their first inspection with zero violations.
Database: Escambia and Santa County restaurant inspections
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
Whiskey Joe’s
400 Quietwater Beach Road 13
Inspection details: Complaint Partial Inspection on April 4
Follow-up inspection: Operations were ordered stopped until violations were corrected. The restaurant complied with a follow-up inspection later that same day with zero violations.
Total violations: Seven total violations, with two high-priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Grease interceptor/trap overflowing onto floor/ground. Upon complaint inspection, entered through access underneath building and observed grease on ground coming from grease trap right side of building. **Warning**
High Priority - Sewage/wastewater backing up through floor drains. Upon complaint inspection observed stationary sewage above floor drain. Floor drain located underneath equipment where cold hold station for raw fish, chicken and shrimp, left side of fryer station in kitchen. **Warning**
One restaurant receives administrative complaint
Uncle Flipp’s Ice Cream and Treat Bar
120 Chiefs Way Unit 6
Inspection details: Routine Inspection on April 4
Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is still required.
Total violations: Three total violations, with one high-priority violation
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Observed expired DBPR license. **Admin Complaint**
Six restaurants receive high priority violations
Jelly Fish Bar
13700 Perdido Key Drive Unit 207A
Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on April 1
Follow-up inspection: Violations required further review but were not an immediate threat to the public. The restaurant complied with a follow-up inspection the next day and met inspections standards.
Total violations: Seven total violations, with four high-priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed five rodent droppings in kitchen on HVAC system. **Warning**
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to adulteration of food product. Observed yellowfin tuna and shrimp in ROP package fully thawed with label indicating to remove from package before thawing.
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed cut tomatoes 51 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), hard boiled eggs 45 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), steak 44 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), half shucked oysters 43/54 degrees Fahrenheit (over 24 hours).
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety - food held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cut tomatoes 51 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), hard boiled eggs 45 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), steak 44 degrees Fahrenheit (24 hours), half shucked oysters 43/54 degrees Fahrenheit (over 24 hours). See stop sale. **Warning**
Longhorn Steakhouse #5558
5500 N. Ninth Ave.
Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on April 2
Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is still required.
Total violations: Two total violations, with one high-priority violation
Details of high-priority violations:
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. Inspector and establishment chlorine test strips show no reading on Chlorine sanitizer levels for dish-machine. Managers contacted repair service and switched to alternate sanitizer at triple sink. **Warning**
Meat2BBQ Hot Pot
6235 N. Davis Highway Unit 116
Inspection details: Routine Inspection on April 5
Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public. A follow-up inspection is still required.
Total violations: 12 total violations, with four high-priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. Nonfood-grade bags used to hold beef in freezers.
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Pork belly in walk-in freezer has build up of ice from ice dripping from unit.
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Pork belly at 45 degrees Fahrenheit in reach in cooler for three hours. After one hour still at 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Pork belly in reach in cooler at 45 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours. Rechecked after one hour, and still at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. See stop sale. **Repeat Violation**
South Market
905 E. Gregory St.
Inspection details: Complaint Inspection on April 2
Follow-up inspection: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public. The restaurant complied with a follow-up inspection the next day with zero violations.
Total violations: 20 total violations, with four high-priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Reheat for more than two hours: cheese sauce 102 degrees Fahrenheit, grits 107 degrees Fahrenheit.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Sausage links 57 degrees Fahrenheit, butter 55 degrees Fahrenheit, corn 63 degrees Fahrenheit, tomatoes 59 degrees Fahrenheit, cole slaw 57 degrees Fahrenheit, chicken 63 degrees Fahrenheit, beef patties 61 degrees Fahrenheit, meat loaf 66 degrees Fahrenheit, all items held less than four hours. **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food reheated for hot holding not reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds within two hours. Reheat for more than 2 hours: cheese sauce 102 degrees Fahrenheit, grits 107 degrees Fahrenheit. **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Hollandaise sauce 85 degrees Fahrenheit held less than four hours. **Warning**
El Paso Mexican Grill 3
5041 Dogwood Drive, Milton
Inspection details: Inspection on April 3
Follow-up inspection: The restaurant met inspection standards and a follow-up inspection is not required.
Total violations: 18 violations, with three high priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed box of raw tilapia over pan of ready to eat chile rellenos in walk in freezer.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Chile rellenos at 53 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked shrimp at 109 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked steak at 103 degrees Fahrenheit both for 25 minutes.
Wasabi House
4794 U.S. 90, Pace
Inspection details: Inspection on April 5
Follow-up inspection: The restaurant met inspection standards and a follow-up inspection is not required.
Total violations: Nine violations with two high priority violations
Details of high-priority violations:
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Observed raw chicken stored over raw beef and shell eggs in walk-in cooler.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Tempura shrimp 74 degrees Fahrenheit for 1.5 hours.
29 restaurants pass first inspection with zero violations
3Y Brothers, mobile
Al Fresco, 9 Portofino Drive
A Rustyc Spoon, 2500 Oak Pointe Drive A
Bluefin Poke, 501 S. Palafox St., Suite 10
Cafeteria La Hondurena, mobile
Coastal, 9 Portofino Drive
Cousins Maine Lobster - Pensacola, 2 E. Texar Drive, Suite B
Eurasian Bistro - 10015 N. Davis Highway, Suite 600
Favor Flavor Seafood, 2005 W. Jordan St.
Flip N Yaki, 501 S. Palafox St.
Fournaris Brothers Greek Restaurant, 6911 Pensacola Blvd.
Goat Lips Deli and Coffee House, 2811 Copter Road
Guadalupe Tex Mex Kitchen, mobile
Mom’s Place, mobile
Nana and Poppy’s Nummies, mobile
Rinconcito Catracho, mobile
Taquieria El Guero, mobile
Wing Stop 2425, 6705 Pine Forest Road, Suite B5-B
Ah Los Panchos Tamales Y Tacos #2, mobile
Alphy’s Catfish House, 1900 State Road 87 S., Navarre
Culvers, 8792 Navarre Parkway
Johnny Huston’s Grille & Bar, 7634 Navarre Parkway
Los Panchos Tamales Y Tacos III, mobile
Moe’s Southwest Grill, 4741 U.S. Highway 90
Oval Office, 2790 Avalon Blvd.
Public Affairs Gastropub, mobile
Sal’s Pizzeria and Grill, 6903 Navarre Parkway
Slim Chickens, 8006 Navarre Parkway
Waffle House, 8582 Navarre Parkway
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: Restaurant inspections: Whiskey Joe’s Pensacola Beach briefly closed