Cockroaches, old turkey, jacket hanging over gravy. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·7 min read

Nine restaurants, stores and gas stations in Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week.

Their problems include raw meats stored above ready-to-eat foods, hundreds of mouse droppings, expired medications for sale, water that wasn’t hot enough at sinks, heavy mold and mildew on a soda machine, cockroaches in dining rooms and around equipment, an employee’s jacket hanging above an open container of gravy, old yogurt and pepper turkey, and an open bottle of cough syrup stored by items for customer drinks, according to inspection reports.

Information about the food establishments and a summary of their violations appear below. The list was compiled Feb. 21 and includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Feb. 11-17.

More than 30 establishments passed inspections during that time. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.

Owners or managers can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com to comment on inspection results that appear in this story.

More details about the inspection results 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, such as bug and rodent infestations. Typically, establishments are re-inspected within 10 days.

It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection. But it can happen due to sewage backups, pest problems, and water or power outages, among other issues. 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

Bionic Burger, 3257 E. Harry in Wichita — Seven violations on Feb. 13 during a routine inspection. Cook who touched raw hamburger patty didn’t wash hands between glove changes, container of sliced cheese sitting in ice bath wasn’t cold enough, raw Philly steak meat and raw bison burgers were stored above bags of corn dogs, back door was propped open by a rock which lets pests in, about 200 mouse droppings under soda machine and behind grill and in other places, can of insecticide that isn’t rated for use around food is on chemical rack, can of whipped cream wasn’t labeled with opening date. Next inspection: Feb. 23.

Corner Market #121, 3311 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Three violations on Feb. 14 during a routine inspection. Water at bathroom sink wasn’t hot enough, expired boxes of Midol and children’s Advil were for sale, the store was supposed to use a three-tub system for washing coffee pots and soda nozzles but the tubs weren’t there. Next inspection: Feb. 24.

Dollar General Store, 4211 W. Central in Wichita — One violation on Feb. 13 during a modified complaint inspection. There was no hot or cold water in the building. Next inspection: Feb. 23.

Dollar Plus Grocery & Smoke Shop, 1106 S. Hydraulic in Wichita — Three violations on Feb. 13 during a follow-up inspection. No test strips for measuring concentration of sanitizer, heavy mold and mildew buildup on soda nozzle, no sanitizer available for cleaning surfaces that touch food or drink. Next inspection: Feb. 23.

Fat Ernie’s Family Dining, 2806 S. Hydraulic in Wichita — Twelve violations on Feb. 12 during a modified complaint inspection. Kitchen hand-washing sink didn’t work, no label on container of sanitizer, employee’s burger and fries were in a closet of clean utensils and equipment, dead cockroaches in dining rooms and in front server alley area, roach spray that isn’t rated for use in food establishments was among chemical supplies in back room, open container of gravy was directly under an employee’s jacket, sanitizer was too concentrated, no sanitizer testing strips, clean containers had sticker residue on them, no drainage pipes or plumbing attached to kitchen hand-washing sink, food debris and grease on floor and wall junctures, container of sanitizer was stored above potatoes and plastic wrap. Next inspection: Feb. 22.

N&J Cafe & Bakery, 5600 E. Lincoln in Wichita — Eight violations on Feb. 12 during a routine inspection. Water wasn’t hot enough in women’s bathroom, shawarmas and salad mix weren’t labeled with preparation dates, old yogurt, raw beef and raw eggs were stored above containers of yogurt, restaurant wasn’t keeping logs required for yogurt making, employee handled dirty and clean dishes without washing hands in between, chlorine sanitizer wasn’t registering in dish washing machine, no test strips to measure concentration of sanitizers. Next inspection: March 13.

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, 2240 N. Tyler Road, Suite 100 in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 12 during a follow-up inspection. Garlic cream sauce didn’t cool quickly enough in refrigeration, salad ingredients including vegetables and cheeses weren’t cold enough in refrigeration. Next inspection: April 12.

Saigon Oriental Restaurant, 1103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Five violations on Feb. 15 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Living and dead cockroaches in and around food preparation area and equipment, open bottle of cough syrup was stored by lychee syrup and umbrella picks for customer drinks, raw vegetables including cabbage and bean sprouts weren’t kept cold enough, accumulation of grease and food debris in kitchen is a food source for pests, raw beef was on the floor in the same area as a living cockroach. Next inspection: May 15.

Walmart Supercenter, 501 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Three violations on Feb. 14 during a routine inspection. Water wasn’t hot enough at family and women’s restroom sinks, old pepper turkey breast in deli meat case, no paper towels at deli hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Feb. 24.

How to complain

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

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. 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

  • Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy, 1413 N. Waterfront Parkway in Wichita

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

  • Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store, 5343 N. Meridian in Wichita

  • Bryant Opportunity Academy, 4702 W. Ninth St. in Wichita

  • Burger King, 528 N. Oliver in Wichita

  • Cicis Pizza, 8320 W. Central in Wichita

  • City of Wichita Cowtown Saloon, 1865 W. Museum Blvd. in Wichita

  • Deano’s Grill & Tapworks, 9747 E. 21st St., Suite 101 in Wichita

  • Dillons, 4747 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • El Rio Bravo Supermarket #3, 2020 N. Amidon, Suite 1989 in Wichita

  • Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 306 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, 616 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Gorditas y Tortas Danny (mobile vendor/food truck), 2340 N. Rosenthal in Wichita

  • Himali Eats, 3238 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Huddle House, 1735 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Jardine Middle School, 3550 E. Ross Parkway in Wichita

  • Las Delicias ICT, 1052 N. Waco in Wichita

  • Maize Central Elementary School, 304 W. Academy in Maize

  • Maize Elementary School, 305 W. Jones in Maize

  • Maize Middle School, 4600 N. Maize Road in Maize

  • McDonald’s, 1811 N. Hillside in Wichita

  • Miya Izakaya, 3030 N. Penstemon in Wichita

  • Mulvane Senior Citizen Center, 632 E. Mulvane in Mulvane

  • Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, 323 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • PB & J Catering, 751 S. George Washington Blvd. in Wichita

  • Peacock Inc. doing business as KC Gas Station, 1955 S. Washington in Wichita

  • Popeyes Louisiana Chicken, 3166 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Posh & Petite, 204 N. Main in Goddard

  • PowerJack, 1001 N. Grove in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Hyper Pet, 1315 W. MacArthur in Wichita

  • Quincy’s Bar & Grill, 2047 N. West St. in Wichita

  • Sam’s Club, 3415 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Scooter’s Coffee, 1226 S.E. Louis Drive in Mulvane

  • Senior Services Inc. of Wichita, 200 S. Walnut in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 7301 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Wichita Heights High School, 5301 N. Hillside 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.