PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — All three South Florida restaurants temporarily shut by the state last week were in Palm Beach County.
Inspections found issues including a “bottle of medication stored above vegetables,” a Windex bottle on a “prep table next to raw chicken,” 70 dead flies in a kitchen bug zapper, and 70 rodent droppings in several areas of a restaurant.
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 violations such as improper food temperatures or cockroaches.
Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, visit myfloridalicense.com. (But please don’t contact us: the Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)
Palm Beach County
Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant
1179 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Royal Palm Beach
Ordered shut: Sept. 24
Why: 14 violations (five high-priority), including:
About three rodent droppings “on top of boxes above soda.”About two dead roaches “on wall under hot water heater” and “on floor under shelf used to store tortilla chips.”“Bottle of medication stored above vegetables” in kitchen.“Employee at cook [line] wiped face and after, without washing hands, employee began to prepare cut green onions.”“Raw shell eggs stored above cut onions.”“Non-commercially packaged raw chicken stored above raw scallops.”
Status: Reopened later that same day after a reinspection found no violations.
The Hive Waterfront Restaurant & Tiki
2412 Floral Road, Lantana
Ordered shut: Sept. 23
Why: 10 violations (eight high-priority), including:
About 70 rodent droppings on floor “of dry storage closet” and “of warewashing room.”Two dead roaches “on floor near prep area” and “on floor inside of walk-in cooler.”“Raw shrimp [stored] above ready-to-eat tomatoes.”“Raw chicken stored above raw ground beef.”Stop sale ordered because “commercially processed reduced-oxygen packaged raw tuna bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use [was] no longer frozen and not removed from reduced-oxygen package in walk-in cooler.”Stop sale ordered “due to temperature abuse” for clam chowder, meatloaf, housemade blue cheese dressing, pico mix, housemade ranch, sliced ham, mozzarella, whole milk, heavy cream, coleslaw and blue cheese.Time/temperature issue also involved chicken breast.
Status: Reopened Sept. 24 after a follow-up visit found three violations (one high-priority).
Shish Grill
690 W. Yamato Road, Suite 7, Boca Raton
Ordered shut: Sept. 22
Why: 23 violations (10 high-priority), including:
About 20 live flies landing “on coffee machine, clean plates at cook line” and “on spices at dry storage area,” and “at the back of the kitchen landing on prep tables and coolers.”About 70 dead flies “inside the bug zapper sitting on the prep table at the back of the kitchen by dishwasher.”“Standing water at warewashing area: observed bowl placed to catch water overflowing.”“Employee walked in the kitchen and put gloves on and started to cook foods without washing hands first.”“Observed employee touching mop, touching clothing and putting gloves on without washing hands first.”“Raw steak over mozzarella sticks not commercially packaged in one-door freezer at cook line.”“Raw chicken over spring roll in walk-in freezer not commercially packaged.”“Raw steak over fish not commercially packaged in one-door freezer at cook line.”“Raw gyro meat stored above raw lamb chops in cooker at cook line.”Time/temperature issues involved tabbouleh, gyro and chicken.“Windex bottle on prep table next to raw chicken and other equipment.”
Status: Reopened Sept. 23 after a next-day visit found nine violations (three high-priority).
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Dining and Cooking