Inspectors Close Kitchen At Cobble Hill For Mice, Contamination

COBBLE HILL, BROOKLYN — Healthy comfort food eatery Kitchen was shuttered by health inspectors this week who found nearly double the violations that require the department close the business, records show.

Kitchen at Cobble Hill was given 48 points during an inspection on Wednesday by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Any score 28 points or above requires that the department shut down the business.

Inspectors visiting the Cobble Hill restaurant found evidence of mice or live mice present in the facility and that the restaurant was not vermin proof, records show. The inspection also discovered that food that was not protected from sources of contamination, that pesticides were not being used properly or were not properly stored and that non-food contact surfaces were improperly constructed or maintained.

Kitchen staff told Patch that the violations were due to mice droppings that were found in non-food preparation areas during the inspection. They suspect mice likely got in through the neighbor's basement, which is connected to their basement, and is under construction.

"The whole Kitchen Team is distressed for this incident to happen," Olga Potap said.

Potap said an exterminator closed all the holes the same day of the inspection and that they were able to reopen on Friday after a re-inspection.

Inspectors from the initial visit did not make the restaurant throw any food out, meaning that none of the food was contaminated, Potap said.

Kitchen at Cobble Hill advertises itself as a farm-to-table "healthy comfort food" restaurant with seasonal dishes, according to its website.

The eatery, which won the diner's choice award from Open Table last year, partners with a family-owned upstate farm for its ice cream and serves Stumptown coffee. Its most famous dishes are chicken soup with dumplings, potato pancakes and kale salad, the website says.

"This is not a pleasant experience for us, as within 10 years of service we have managed to maintain an A grade status, Potap said. "Our Team took all necessary measures for this issue not to happen again, and will do our best to continue serving the neighborhood with pride."