Cockroaches. Old pork. Dirty kitchen. Wichita KS restaurants with failed inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·6 min read

Five restaurants in Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted last week by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Information about the establishments and a summary of their violations appears below. The list includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Oct. 15-21. It was compiled Oct. 26.

More than 40 establishments that passed inspections last week also appear below. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.

Owners or managers who want to comment on inspection results can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com.

More details about the problems are in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.

How establishments fail

Most violations are minor and are corrected during an inspection.

Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, like bug and rodent infestations. Typically, failed establishments are re-inspected within 10 days.

It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection, but it can happen. Circumstances include sewage backups, pest problems, or operating without water, power or refrigeration. Usually, closures are temporary.

You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

Out-of-compliance inspections

Bella Vita Bistro, 120 N. West St., Suite 2 in Wichita — Nine violations on Oct. 19 during a routine inspection. Restaurant doesn’t have state approval for some cooking processes including using vacuum packaging and sous vide for veal osso buco, issue with sanitizers, fried mozzarella cutlets and stuffed mushrooms weren’t labeled with preparation dates, pans and bottles in clean storage had masking tape and residue on them, cans of ant and roach spray rated for residential-only use were stored in restaurant, garlic and oil wasn’t temperature compliant, gallon of milk wasn’t labeled with opening date. Next inspection: Oct. 29.

Playa Azul Authentic Mexican, 111 N. Washington in Wichita — Five violations on Oct. 16 during a routine inspection. Queso and rice weren’t temperature compliant, no sanitizer in dishwashing machine, bottles lying in contaminated condensation water, tamales sitting out at room temperature, old foods including flan and cooked pork. Next inspection: Oct. 26.

Saigon Restaurant, 1103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Nine violations on Oct. 17 during a complaint inspection. Cockroaches, bowl of steamed vegetables weren’t temperature compliant, large hole covered in chicken wire by water heater can let pests into building, grease and food debris build up in kitchen, kimchi and other foods including meatballs and pork for pho weren’t labeled with preparation dates, restaurant was using ant and roach killer rated for residential use only, raw eggs stored by raw bean sprouts, personal prescription medications were stored on same shelf as glassware and food items used for customers. Next inspection: Oct. 27.

Scooter’s Coffee, 259 S. West St. in Wichita — Four violations on Oct. 16 during a routine inspection. Dial thermometer didn’t work correctly, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, oven cleaner stored above coconut water, bottle of oven cleaner stored with nozzle pointing at take-out lids. Next inspection: Oct. 26.

Starbucks, 8008 E. Central in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 19 during a routine inspection. Food in cooler wasn’t temperature compliant due to ice build up on fan, digital food thermometer didn’t work because its batteries were dead, no hot water at bathroom sink. Next inspection: Oct. 29.

How to complain

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

Email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767 to notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

These businesses passed inspections

  • Afton Motel, 855 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Astoria Indian Grill, 3242 N. Rock Road, Suite 118 in Wichita

  • Bake Sale, 2000 N. Rock Road, Suite 106 in Wichita

  • Bingo Casino, 1211 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Carlos O’Kelly’s, 527 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Chisholm Trail Elementary School, 6015 Independence in Park City

  • Clearwater Elementary School West, 100 S. Prospect in Clearwater

  • Clearwater High School, 1201 E. Ross in Clearwater

  • Coleman Middle School, 1544 N. Governeour in Wichita

  • Dempsey’s Burger Pub, 3700 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • El 300 Discoteck Bar, 1621 S. Woodlawn in Wichita

  • El Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 111 N. Main in Haysville

  • The Envision Bistro and Innovation Kitchen at WSU Tech-NICHE, 124 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 11525 E. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Garden Plain Elementary School, 700 N. Section Line Road in Garden Plain

  • Garden Plain High School, 720 N. Sedgwick in Garden Plain

  • Gordon Parks Academy, 2201 E. 25th St. North in Wichita

  • Greiffenstein-Wells Middle School, 1221 E. Galena in Wichita

  • Izzy’s Soiree, 125 N. 1st St. in Colwich

  • Jerry’s Bar & Grill, 630 N. Robin in Wichita

  • KNeticx, 6803 W. Taft, Suite 401 in Wichita

  • Little Caesars Pizza, 601 N. West St., Suite 208 in Wichita

  • McDonald’s, 411 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Outback Steakhouse, 233 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Paradise Donuts, 10607 W. Maple, Suite 1 in Wichita

  • Party City, 3411 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Pit Stop Bar & Grill, 10510 W. Southwest Blvd. in Wichita

  • Pizza Hut, 10607 W. Maple in Wichita

  • PrairieFire Coffee Roasters, 10821 E. 26th St. North in Wichita

  • QuikTrip, 2510 W. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Ray’s Mobile (mobile vendor/food truck), 6115 N. Air Cap Drive in Park City

  • Seneca General Store, 1003 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Sowers Alternative High School, 2400 E. Wassall in Wichita

  • St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, 1215 N. Stratford in Wichita

  • Starwoods, 7800 S. 103rd St. West in Clearwater

  • Sweetpop’s, 550 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Taco Shop, 6825 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Thai Tradition, 650 N. Carriage Parkway, Suite 120 in Wichita

  • Tuta’s Teriyaki, 1212 S. Tyler Road, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Washington Accelerated Learning Elementary School, 424 N. Pennsylvania in Wichita

  • West Street Nutrition, 240 S. West St., Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Wichita Northeast Magnet High School, 5550 N. Lycee in Bel Aire

  • Wichita South High School, 701 W. 33rd St. South in Wichita

Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.