Moldy birria. Bugs. Leaks. Dirty bin. Wichita KS restaurants with failed inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·7 min read

Seven restaurants, a hotel and a gas station in Wichita and Derby were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted last week by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Information about the nine establishments and a summary of their violations appears below. The list, compiled Nov. 2, includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Oct. 22-28.

At least 50 establishments passed inspections last week. They 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 over issues such as 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

Fu Bing Petroleum, 248 S. Hillside in Wichita — Four violations on Oct. 23 during a routine inspection. No sanitizer available in building, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, no chlorine test strips to measure sanitizer concentration because the owners said they didn’t know they were supposed to use sanitizer to clean, no backflow preventer on mop sink. Next inspection: Nov. 2.

La Sufrida Mexican Grill, 3827 W. 13th St. in Wichita — Seventeen violations on Oct. 26 during a complaint inspection. Undercooked food items weren’t specifically marked on menu, dented can of corn, raw meats and seafood stored together in a way that could lead to cross contamination, flies, damage on kitchen door can be an entry point for pests, no test kit for chlorine sanitizer, hand-washing sinks weren’t being used because they had no soap or paper towels or their dispensers were broken, dead flies and cockroaches, not enough working and accessible hand-washing sinks, several foods including birria and carnitas weren’t labeled with preparation dates, hot dog and imitation crab meat weren’t labeled with package opening dates, kitchen hand-washing sink was full of dirty pitchers, soiled linens piled on floor, cooked and raw products didn’t have lids, no paper towels at bathroom and kitchen sinks, moldy birria and hot dogs, water from cooler condenser dripping on bell peppers, flies landing on clean surfaces that touch food, cockroach in dish area. Next inspection: Nov. 6.

Nelson’s Kitchen, 6829 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Five violations on Oct. 26 during a routine inspection. Fried chicken in hot holding wasn’t warm enough, restaurant was leaving bathroom door in kitchen open which can cause norovirus to spread more easily, cheese and lettuce wasn’t cold enough in refrigeration, restaurant had hand soap at sink that wasn’t supposed to be used for hand-washing, no chlorine sanitizer in bucket of wiping cloths. Next inspection: Nov. 5.

Saigon Oriental Restaurant, 1103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 28 during a follow-up inspection. Living and dead cockroaches, restaurant was storing insecticides that aren’t safe for restaurant use, raw eggs were stored in direct contact with ready-to-eat bean sprouts which can contaminate them. Next inspection: Dec. 30.

Smoothie King, 1861 E. Madison, Suite 600 in Derby — Two violations on Oct. 25 during a follow-up inspection. Leaky backflow prevention device, kitchen hand-washing sink was blocked by door. Next inspection: Dec. 25.

Taco Shop, 1652 S. Webb in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 26 during a complaint inspection. No paper towels at kitchen hand-washing sink, taco toppings including tomatoes and cheese weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, no test strips to measure strength of sanitizer. Next inspection: Nov. 5.

Taco Tico, 125 N. Baltimore in Derby — Four violations on Oct. 25 during a routine inspection. Black olives sitting out at room temperature, restaurant didn’t have food thermometers, bottle of cleaner stored with nozzle pointed at to-go cups, “heavy buildup of black, yellow, and red mold/mildew” inside ice bin. Next inspection: Nov. 4.

Thai Village House of Pad Thai, 2020 S. Rock Road in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 24 during a follow-up inspection. Sauce and raw eggs weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, restaurant didn’t have test strips to measure concentration of chlorine sanitizer, no sanitizer in dishwashing machine. Next inspection: Dec. 24.

Wyndham Garden Wichita Downtown, 221 E. Kellogg in Wichita — Five violations on Oct. 25 during an expired license inspection. No paper towels at kitchen hand-washing sinks, no soap at hand-washing sink in drink preparation area, raw eggs stored at room temperature overnight, several foods including mashed potatoes and dressings weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, no food thermometer on site. Next inspection: Nov. 4.

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

  • Andale Elementary and Middle Schools, 500 Rush in Andale

  • Andale High School, 700 W. Rush in Andale

  • Arby’s, 7221 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store, 550 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Buffalo Wild Wings, 2413 N. Maize Road, Suite 105 in Wichita

  • Burger King, 20300 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard

  • Cafe Bel Ami, 229 E. William in Wichita

  • Charleys Cheesesteaks inside Towne East Square, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite VC06 in Wichita

  • Chick N Max, 3520 N. Maize Road, Suite 200 in Wichita

  • Chuck’s Hot Chicken, 2625 W. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 18503 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard

  • Dollar General Store, 3660 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Dollar Tree, 1525 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Doo-Dah Diner, 206 E. Kellogg in Wichita

  • Emerson Biggins Sports Bar and Grill/Rock Island Live, 808 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Fazoli’s, 8520 W. Central in Wichita

  • Genesis Health Clubs, 854 N. Socora in Wichita

  • ICT Food Rescue inside Towne West Square, 4600 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

  • Interlocal Learning Center Mount Hope, 500 W. Main in Mount Hope

  • Jacob Liquor Exchange, 10221 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Jimmy John’s, 7325 W. Taft, Suite 108 in Wichita

  • Keto On with Kerri, 619 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Kwik Shop, 20300 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard

  • McDonald’s, 1645 S. Webb in Wichita

  • Minneha Elementary School, 701 N. Webb in Wichita

  • Nelson Elementary School, 245 N. Delos in Haysville

  • Norton’s Brewing Company, 125 N. St. Francis in Wichita

  • Old Mill Tasty Shop, 604 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Park Hill Elementary School, 1500 E. Woodbrook in Derby

  • Pho MC, 1675 S. Rock Road, Suite 109 in Wichita

  • Pizza Hut, 333 E. 47th St. South in Wichita

  • Pizza Hut, 344 S. Meridian in Valley Center

  • Plagens Carpenter Sports Complex, 665 W. 63rd St. South in Haysville

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

  • Prairie Elementary School, 7101 S. Meridian in Haysville

  • Price-Harris Communications Magnet Elementary School, 706 N. Armour in Wichita

  • Sam & Nancy’s Cafe, 151 N. Main in Wichita

  • Sazon Mexican Food, 2624 E. 21st St. in Wichita

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

  • Scooter’s Coffee, 20201 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard

  • Scooter’s Coffee, 259 S. West St. in Wichita

  • Sojourner’s Coffee House, 7130 W. Maple, Suite 280 in Wichita

  • Sonic Drive-In, 200 S. Meridian in Valley Center

  • Swaney Elementary School, 501 English in Derby

  • Tacos Chaparro (mobile vendor/food truck), 660 W. North Court in Wichita

  • Taqueria Tex-Mex (mobile vendor/food truck), 2911 S. Sayles in Wichita

  • Tequilas Mexican Grill, 218 W. Main in Valley Center

  • Two Shoes Entertainment (mobile vendor/food truck), 229 S. Poplar in Wichita

  • Wichita West High School, 820 S. Osage in Wichita

  • Wyndham Garden Wichita Downtown, 221 E. Kellogg 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.