Dark grime, old meat, worker eating during food prep. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·7 min read

Five restaurants, a health club and a pharmacy store in Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week. Their problems include thick and dark grime on a can opener, several employees washing their hands at the wrong sinks, ground beef thawing at room temperature overnight, old ham and hot dogs, no running water and an employee who was eating while preparing customer food, according to inspection reports.

Information about the seven businesses and a summary of their violations appear below. The list was compiled Jan. 24 and includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Jan. 14-20.

More than 50 establishments passed inspections during that time. Some may have been non-compliant previously.

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

Genesis Health Club, 3725 W. 13th St. in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 17 during a routine inspection. No paper towels at hand-washing sink, employees were washing hands at a sink designated for a different use, hand-washing sink behind bar didn’t have hot water. Next inspection: Jan. 27.

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 13303 W. Maple, Suite 105 in Wichita — Eight violations on Jan. 17 during a modified complaint inspection. Raw shrimp was stored by cooked shrimp which can lead to contamination, raw bacon and eggs were stored above a container of cream cheese mix, raw chicken was stored by raw beef, “thick dark” grime on can opener blade, garlic-and-oil mixture and cooked chicken weren’t stored at safe temperatures, employee was eating while peeling carrots and used the same hand holding the peeler to put food in her mouth, restaurant didn’t have any sanitizer for dishwashing. Next inspection: Jan. 27.

Itzcali Tapas & Tequilas, 2819 E. Central in Wichita — Ten violations on Jan. 19 during a complaint inspection. Employee washed hands at a sink designated for another purpose, missing information on shellstock tags, bartender stored cocktail mixers in ice used for customer drinks, pan of roasted jalapenos wasn’t kept hot enough, no hot water at hand-washing sink behind bar, employee didn’t wash hands after touching a step ladder, menu didn’t designate which meat and fish items can be or are served undercooked, dedicated hand-washing sink was being used to fill a pitcher of water, old sliced ham, no paper towels at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Jan. 29.

Las Rosas’ Wichita Mexican Grill, 1050 W. 47th St. South in Wichita — Four violations on Jan. 19 during a routine inspection. Restaurant thawed raw ground beef at room temperature overnight, foods including queso and chili verde were labeled with the incorrect preparation or package opening dates, old refried beans, queso wasn’t kept hot enough. Next inspection: Feb. 3.

Margaritas Cantina, 3109 E. Douglas in Wichita — Six violations on Jan. 16 during a modified complaint inspection. Downstairs kitchen hand-washing sink couldn’t be used because it was blocked by boxes of fryer oil, upstairs kitchen hand-washing sink leaked, cans of grapefruit juice were stored in flood basin of hand-washing sink, restaurant didn’t have test strips to measure concentration of chlorine sanitizer used in dishwasher, no hot water at downstairs kitchen hand-washing sink, no soap at upstairs bar hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Jan. 26.

Side Pockets Restaurant & Sports Bar, 614 S. Tyler in Wichita — Nine violations on Jan. 17 during a routine inspection. Too much sanitizer in bucket had to be diluted with water, old sliced ham and hot dogs, “significant leak” at hand-washing sink in back of kitchen, unlabeled spray bottles containing yellow and purple liquids, small cooler didn’t have an ambient air thermometer, raw chicken and green beans weren’t cold enough in reach-in cooler, no test strips to measure concentration of chlorine or quaternary sanitizer, dirty food slicer, bottle of cleaner was above ice machine. Next inspection: Jan. 27.

Walgreens, 333 W. 13th St. in Wichita — One violation on Jan. 19 during a modified complaint inspection. No running water in building at time of inspection due to a burst pipe. Next inspection date wasn’t listed.

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

  • The Anchor, 1109 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Apollo Fermentations, 1631 S. Hillside in Wichita

  • Bingo Casino, 2431 E. Mount Vernon in Wichita

  • BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, 7960 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Bourbon Street Bar & Grill, 3863 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill, 515 N. Hillside in Wichita

  • Church’s Chicken, 593 E. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Courtyard by Marriott Wichita East, 2975 N. Webb in Wichita

  • Dollar General Store, 4211 W. Central in Wichita

  • Dollar General Store, 1919 E. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Dollar Tree, 620 N. Rock Road, Suite 100 in Derby

  • Donut Palace, 1235 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Doug’s Place, 1528 S. Washington in Wichita

  • Dragon City Chinese Restaurant, 3008 W. Central in Wichita

  • El Capitan Seafood & Grill, 410 N. Hillside in Wichita

  • Emperor’s Japanese Grill, 320 N. Rock Road, Suite 400 in Derby

  • Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean in Wichita

  • The Grinder Man, 510 E. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Harcros Chemicals Inc., 2914 S. Spruce, Building 104 in Wichita

  • Jimmy’s Egg, 8728 W. Central in Wichita

  • Jumbo’s Beef & Brew, 3750 N. Woodlawn, Suite 102 in Wichita

  • Kwik Shop, 277 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

  • Linde Welding Gas & Equipment Center., 3732 N. Ohio in Wichita

  • Little Caesars Pizza, 5000 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Little Caesars Pizza, 2046 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Little Saigon Restaurant, 1015 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Meals on Wheels/Friendship Meals, 516 N. Main in Cheney

  • Minisuper Aquascalientes, 3363 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • NuCO2 Supply, 3421 N. Emporia in Wichita

  • Perfect Plate #2, 220 W. Douglas, Suite 62 in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Community Choice Financial, 8111 E. 32nd St. North in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Lee Aerospace Plant 3, 9333 E. 34th St. North in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Lee Aerospace Plant 4, 8213 E. 34th St. North in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Lee Aerospace Plant 5, 9413 E. 34th St. North in Wichita

  • Pizza Hut, 700 W. Douglas in Wichita

  • Playa Azul Authentic Mexican, 111 N. Washington in Wichita

  • Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, 602 N. Tyler Road in Wichita

  • Quality Inn South, 4849 S. Laura in Wichita

  • Rain Bistro & Lounge, 518 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Red Lobster, 333 S. Towne East Mall Drive in Wichita

  • Rent the Chef, 117 S. Park in Valley Center

  • Snack Zone in the Sedgwick County District Courthouse, 525 N. Main in Wichita

  • Spangles, 6120 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Spangles, 1818 E. Pawnee in Wichita

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

  • Third Place Brewing, 630 E. Douglas, Suite 150 in Wichita

  • Viva La Olive, 300 N. Mead, Suite 105 in Wichita

  • Walgreens, 9525 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Walgreens, 555 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Watermark Books & Cafe, 4701 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Wichita Acceleration Academy, 801 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Wichita State University Charles Koch Arena, 1845 W. Fairmount in Wichita

  • Yokohama Ramen Joint, 613 W. Douglas, Suite A 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.