Nine Polk food vendors fail to meet standards, including 2 with 13 violations each. See why

Nine Polk County food vendors failed to meet standards during inspections July 15-21, according to state reports.

Of 53 total inspections during the week, 44 vendors met standards. Seven of those were perfect on their initial inspection (an inspection that’s not a follow-up mandated by previous violations).

Among the nine that fell short, there were 42 total violations – including 13 apiece at two of the restaurants. Of the 42, eight violations were for clerical-type issues – expired licenses, managers without certification or failure to provide proof of state-mandated employee training.

Only two vendors had violations related to rodents or insects. In both cases, it was flies.

One of those, a food truck in Babson Park, had two live flies on a window seal. The flies flew out, the window was closed and the restaurant met standards. That was its only violation.

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The other restaurant had eight flies in its bar area. It’s listed below, among restaurants that failed to meet standards.

July 8-145 Polk restaurants fall short of standards. But 2 had more violations and passed. See why

Restaurants can receive violations for a wide variety of issues, not all of which might be disturbing to the common diner. The Ledger details the violations received by all restaurants that fell short of standards so readers can decide whether they’re alarming.

And it’s common for restaurants to meet standards with violations that might be alarming. Those are too numerous for our report. But to view inspections for any restaurant in Polk County, go to our searchable database at https://data.theledger.com/restaurant-inspections/polk.

Restaurants that fell short of standards, and why

• La Fiesta Mexicana, 94 Maxcy Plaza Circle, Haines City: On July 15, the restaurant had 13 violations, including three high priority. One high priority violation was for dishmachine sanitizer that wasn’t at the proper strength. Another was for raw pork stored over cooked vegetables in the walk-in cooler. The other was for a toxic substance, in this case a surface cleaner, stored above cooked food in a hot-holding unit on the cook line.

Among two intermediate violations, one was for a purse in the handwash sink (indicating it was used for purposes other than handwashing), and the other was for failing to provide a chemical test kit for sanitizer at the three-compartment sink or warewashing machine.

Finally, there were eight basic violations: An employee’s beverage container was found on a food prep surface (in this case a cup of coffee on a cutting board); an employee was drinking coffee on the cook line while cooking; an employee was cooking without a hair restraint; gaskets were torn on a reach-in cooler; a container of liquid margarine was stored on the floor near the cook line; an in-use wet-wiping cloth or towel was under a cutting board; unwashed avocados were stored with ready-to-eat food in a reach-in cooler; and a bulk container of beans and rice, removed from its original container, was not labeled by its common name. A warning was issued and a follow-up required.

July 1-7:6 Polk County food vendors fall short of standards. See who, and why

• Cozy Oaks Restaurant, 1201 E. Orange St., Lakeland: On July 19, the restaurant had 13 violations. One of those was high priority, for a can of WD-40 stored on the dishmachine. Among three intermediate violations, one was for a can opener and ice machine soiled with debris; one was for an employee filling a pitcher of water at the handwash sink (indicating the sink was used for purposes other than handwashing); and the other was for not providing a chemical test kit for sanitizer at the three-compartment sink or dishmachine.

The other nine violations were labeled basic: a bowl or container with no handle was used to dispense food (in this case a plate used to scoop potatoes); cups on the service line were not properly air dried (wet nesting); a bag of flour, a soda box and a container of salad dressing were stored on the floor; no handwashing sign at the sink in the women’s restroom; the mop sink has no plumbing to drain water; a buildup of food debris on a soda head; an employee dried a piece of silverware with a towel; to-go boxes were improperly stored on the floor; and fish was thawing on a pan on a dish drain. A warning was issued and a follow-up required.

• Subway #62071, 422 Citi Centre St., Winter Haven: On July 15, the restaurant had just one violation – the food manager was not certified. A warning was issued and a follow-up required.

• China House, 23 W. Broadway St., Fort Meade: On July 15, the restaurant had three violations -- one high priority, one intermediate and one basic. The high-priority violation was for raw pork stored over unwashed broccoli in the walk-in cooler. The basic violation was for uncovered items in storage. And for the intermediate violation, the inspector noted that required training for some employees was expired. A warning was issued. In a callback on July 19, the restaurant met standards with zero violations.

• Froyo Factory, 125 E. Van Fleet Drive, Bartow: On July 17, the restaurant had four violations, including one high priority. That was for milk that was held above 41 degrees (in this case, 46 degrees) inside a reach-in cooler. The other three were intermediate violations: no written rules for dealing with a vomiting or diarrheal event; person in charge lacking proof of certification; and no proof of required food-safety training for any employees. A warning was issued and a follow-up required.

• Twister Latin Lounge, 2862 Recker Highway, Winter Haven: On July 17, the facility had three violations. Two of them were intermediate: ice in the handwash sink in the bar area (indicating the sink was used for something other than handwashing); and no proof of required food-safety training for an employee hired more than 60 days earlier. One basic violation was for a mold-like substance on the interior of the ice machine panel guard. A warning was issued and a follow-up required.

• Subway #13268, 2834 Recker Highway, Winter Haven: On July 17, the restaurant had three violations. One high-priority violation was for operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. An intermediate violation was for a soda nozzle at a dispenser in the dining room “soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.” A basic violation was for ceiling tiles or vents that were “soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust or mold-like substance.” An administrative complaint was recommended for the expired license. A follow-up inspection was required.

June 17-30:3 Polk County food vendors fall short of inspection standards. See who, and why

• Taqueria Mary, 107 U.S. 17-92 N., Haines City: On July 19, the food truck had one basic and one intermediate violation. The intermediate violation was for the food manager’s certification being expired. The basic violation was for an exterior door with a gap at the threshold. An administrative complaint was recommended for the problem with the door (noted as a repeat violation). A follow-up was required.

• Stonegate Golf Club - The Grill @ Stonegate, 404 Village Drive, Poinciana: On July 19, the restaurant had five violations. Among two high-priority violations, the inspector noted eight live flies behind the bar in the dining area and a vacuum breaker was missing on the hose bibb at the mop sink. Among the three basic violations: A cutting board had cut marks that made it uncleanable; doors on a reach-in cooler were in poor repair; and shelves in the walk-in cooler were pitted with rust. An administrative complaint was recommended for the flies. A follow-up was required.

Perfection

These are the seven food vendors who achieved that elusive perfect initial inspection. Not listed are vendors who achieved perfection on a follow-up that was mandated by violations on a previous visit.

• Rumba On The Road, mobile vendor, 5795 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee
• Renteria Erendira, mobile vendor, 95 Dundee Road, Dundee
• Hemingway's Cuban Kitchen, 320 4th St. S.W. Ste 4, Winter Haven
• Terry Vending Services Inc., vending machine, 309 South Acuff Road, Lake Wales
• Lone Palm Golf Club MFDV, mobile vendor, 800 Lone Palm Drive, Lakeland
• Wheelhouse's 19 Hole, 102 Polo Park East Blvd., Davenport
• Salted Haven, caterer, 502 E. Main St., Lakeland

June 3-16:4 Polk County food vendors fall short of standards during inspections. See why

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?

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.