Rodent Droppings Found at New Business's First Inspection

Patch examined inspection reports in North Center. Information has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program.

Restaurants and businesses can pass, pass with conditions or fail using a standardized procedure. Establishments that pass don't have any critical or serious violations. 

Those that receive 'pass with conditions' had serious violations, but the violations were corrected during the inspection. Failed establishments had serious violations that weren't correctable during the inspection. A fail rating does not mean the business's license is automatically suspended. All inspections are done on a routine canvass, unless otherwise noted.

Veg Head, 4064 N. Lincoln Ave.
Inspection date: Aug. 28, Aug. 29
Results: Fail, Pass
Violations: On an initial visit, the inspector found the restroom doors were both missing self-closing devices and gaps left unsealed around the pipes. The basement door also needs to be rodent proofed, because the inspector also found more than 30 rat droppings in the space.

Management needs to provide metal stem thermometers and clean and organize the basement.

When city inspectors returned, they didn’t find any evidence of rodent feces. The basement still had clutter, but all other violations were corrected.

Big Boy Gyros, 3541 N. Western Ave.
Inspection date: Sept. 3
Results: Pass
Violations:  This visit was the result of a complaint and upon arrival, an inspector observed employees preparing hamburgers without hair restraints.

Management needs to clean the filter on the hood because it had accumulated a large amount of grease. The inspector also found gaps around the pipes by the mop sink and cracked floor tile under the ice machine.

Towels that are used for wiping dining tables need to be stored in a bucket with sanitizing solution. 

Vosges Haut-Chocolat, 2950 N. Oakley Ave.
Inspection date: Sept. 3
Results: Pass
Violations: All items need to be elevated to 6 inches off the floor for easy cleaning.

Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln Ave.
Inspection date: Sept. 12
Results: Pass
Violations: The inspector found a broken rubber gasket between the top and bottom of ice machine. That needs to be replaced, along with the caulking inside the upper panel of the ice machine where the inspector observed mineral build-up.

The shelves above the flat grill and floors also need to be cleaned.