Restaurant Inspections: Roaches in Ice Cream Machine, Candy

TAMPA BAY, FL — The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered emergency closures at three area eateries last week when conditions inside didn’t hold up to state guidelines for health and safety.

Live roaches, dirty conditions and unsafe food storage practices were among the biggest reasons behind the temporary closings. In its Emergency Closures report for the week ending Aug. 20, the state noted these local restaurants had been ordered shut until they cleaned up their acts:

Temple Terrace

Dairy Queen, 10830 N. 56th St.

• Initial inspection date: Aug. 15
• High priority violations – 4
• Intermediate violations – 1
• Basic violations – 13

Heavily soiled floor drains, a hole in the wall and an accumulation of a “black/green mold-like substance” on the inside of the ice machine all made the state inspector take note. The biggest concerns, however, centered on the discovery of live roaches ... a whole lot of them. The inspector found a roach inside a sugar candy box at the cake prep station and one under the Blizzard machine, the state's report says. About “40 live roaches (were found) inside ice cream soft serve machine,” the inspector wrote. While the eatery was closed after the inspector’s discovery, it did meet state inspection standards the very next day, state records show.

Hudson

Frank’s Diner, 16103 U.S. 19

• Initial inspection date – Aug. 16
• High priority violations – 6
• Intermediate violations – 1
• Basic violations – 20

The inspector noted such concerns as a heavily rusted chest freezer, a buildup of food debris on the slicer and a failure to provide enough light for employees to work under. Live roaches, flying insects and potentially hazardous food storage conditions, however, were among the biggest concerns. As for those roaches, the inspector noted finding about 15 at the server station, five under a sink and two on the front side of the service counter. The eatery failed to meet inspection requirements on a follow-up visit on Aug. 17, but did meet state standards during a second visit that same day.

Tampa

Scooter’s Saloon, 9847 E. Adamo Drive

• Initial inspection date – Aug. 17
• High priority violations – 7
• Intermediate violations – 6
• Basic violations – 14

The inspector noted such concerns as a crusty can opener blade, a lack of paper towels at a hand wash sink and dirty conditions. Potentially hazardous food storage practices were also points of concern. Live roaches were found on a cranberry juice box, the floor, on a wall and under the dish machine, the inspector noted. Roach droppings were also found on a dish. The eatery failed to meet state standards on two follow up inspections conducted on Aug. 18 and Aug. 19, state records show. It was allowed to reopen on Aug. 19 with a secondary follow-up required.

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