The state temporarily shut seven South Florida restaurants last week after finding issues including 133 rodent droppings in kitchen/dining room areas, ice cream stored uncovered in a reach-in cooler and a contaminated croissant.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spotted a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR. (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
Le Bon Gout, Lake Worth Beach
1230 S. Dixie Highway
Ordered shut: March 12; reopened March 13
Why: Sixteen violations (eight high-priority), including 16 live flies found in areas such as on “salad mix … in a container on table in the kitchen” and in a dry food storage room on rice bags and on a “green pepper box.”
Additionally, the report noted that food was “contaminated by live flying insects and operator continued to serve food.”
In the dining room, 11 rodent droppings were found “on floor behind white foam bowls box in between chest freezer and beverage cooler,” “behind beverage cooler” and “in air handler closet in the hallway.” There were also rodent rub marks “on cabinet door and door frame of the cabinet at front counter cashier area.”
The restaurant had to stop sale and toss salad mix, hard-boiled eggs and boiled plantains for temperature issues.
The state also observed employees’ personal beverages “stored with and above food in the glass door cooler in the kitchen” and personal clothing “stored on top of pepper box in dry food storage room” and “clothings stuffed in holes inside the cabinet” at the front-counter cashier area.
No violations were found during a follow-up inspection the next day, and the restaurant was cleared to reopen.
The Breakfast Shack, Boynton Beach
3469 Boynton Beach Blvd., Suite 1
Ordered shut: March 12; reopened March 13
Why: Three violations (one high-priority), including “approximately 10 live roaches on underside of cook line flip-top cooler in kitchen.”
About 23 dead roaches were found in the kitchen — “inside of electrical box under breakers on wall directly next to flip-top cooler on cook line” and “inside of electrical box directly next to toaster at front line.” A can opener was “soiled with food debris.”
The restaurant reopened the next day after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
The Sidewalk Chef, Fort Lauderdale
6500 NW 12th Ave., Suite 101
Ordered shut: March 12; reopened March 13
Why: Seven violations (three high-priority), including 133 rodent droppings in various kitchen areas such as “behind grill,” “on floor under and behind prep table,” “under double convection oven,” “under wire rack” and “under steam table,” as well as “on floor in dining room area.”
The report also noted “raw egg wash stored above ready-to-eat eggplant in walk-in cooler,” “several cracked light shields in kitchen,” “sliced turkey not covered in walk-in cooler,” and a “wet wiping cloth on prep counter in kitchen area.”
The state found one basic violation during a follow-up inspection the next day, so the restaurant was allowed to reopen.
Piman Cafe Restaurant, Fort Lauderdale
1560 NE Fourth Ave.
Ordered shut: March 13; reopened March 13
Why: Five violations (two high-priority), including three live roaches “at entrance to cook line” and “in compressor area and under chest freezer at entrance to cook line.”
According to the report, the restaurant had removed its three-compartment sink and had “no other means of ware washing available.”
A same-day follow-up inspection found a couple of basic intermediate violations, but the restaurant was cleared to reopen.
Silverspoon Takeout, Fort Lauderdale
81 SW 31st Ave.
Ordered shut: March 13; reopened March 14
Why: Four violations (three high-priority), including “approximately 10 live roaches on the wall over the ware-washing handwash sink in the kitchen.”
The inspection also red-flagged that “nonfood-grade bags” were used “in direct contact with food,” specifically prepared dough was seen in “thank-you bags” in a reach-in cooler.
The next day, a follow-up state inspection found one high-priority and one intermediate violation, but the takeout spot was able to resume operations.
Matchbox Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise
1860 Sawgrass Mills Circle, No. 5100
Ordered shut: March 15; reopened March 16
Why: 10 violations (four high-priority), including 15 live flies seen “around kitchen area,” “around pizza station,” “on flip-top cooler cover” and on a plate, among other spots.
Blanched asparagus was “stored next to raw crab cake,” and both gouda and fresh mozzarella cheese had to be tossed due to “temperature abuse.”
Other violations included an “unlabeled bottle containing sanitizer in bar area,” a “hand wash sink used to hold bag of corn,” “ice cream stored uncovered in reach-in cooler,” and “employee bag stored on top of wiping cloth on prep table next to freezer in production area.”
The restaurant reopened the next day after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Paul’s Fresh Bakery, Sunrise
1800 Sawgrass Mills Circle, No. 2500
Ordered shut: March 15; reopened March 16
Why: Eight violations (four high-priority), including about 19 live flies on “grease paper holding bread at display area,” “above handwash sink,” “on paper towel at hand wash sink next to ice machine,” “over rolls at display area,” “around dry storage area” and “in bakery area.” One was seen landing on a ready-to-eat croissant.
Other violations: an “in-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board,” and “raw animal food not separated from ready-to-eat food during preparation” (raw bacon stored above prosciutto).
Additionally, an employee was found eating in the kitchen.
Two intermediate violations were found during a next-day inspection, but the bakery was able to reopen.
