Polk restaurant inspections (Oct. 17-21): 4 restaurants found with pest violations last week

Karim Noorani USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read

Four restaurants in Polk County failed to meet health and safety standards last week.

In Polk County, Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation reported 159 violations during 51 recent restaurant inspections. Inspectors labeled 25 violations as high priority, 50 violations as intermediate priority and 84 violations as basic priority.

>> INTERACTIVE: Explore all restaurant inspections in Polk County.

Four restaurants in Polk County violated pest standards. Inspectors found seven restaurants did not follow good handwashing and hygienic practices. The department also handed out 12 violations in the county for food protection and cross-contamination.

Inspectors in Polk County found six restaurants with two or more high-priority violations and 15 restaurants with five or more total violations.

The Country Club Of Winter Haven, 4200 Country Club Rd, was cited Oct. 20 with 11 total violations, Polk County's most.

No Polk County restaurants were closed.

MORE RECENT RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS:

Perfect inspections

In Bartow:

In Haines City:

In Lake Wales:

In Lakeland:

Pest violations

In Lake Wales:

  • Popeyes, 612 State Road 60 W., was cited Oct. 17 with one pest violation among eight total violations.

In Lakeland:

  • Jet's Pizza, 3234 S. Florida Ave. Ste. A, was cited Oct. 20 with one pest violation among four total violations.

In Winter Haven:

  • Boston Market #609, 150 Cypress Gardens Blvd, was cited Oct. 18 with two pest violations among eight total violations.

  • Fire, 325 Central Ave. W., was cited Oct. 18 with one pest violation among nine total violations.

Failed first inspection

Four restaurants were issued warnings or administrative complaints.

In Winter Haven:

  • Tempo 1930, 58 4th St. NW, was given a warning Oct. 21 requiring a follow-up inspection. The warning cited five total violations, including one high-priority violation. That high-priority violation was sewage or wastewater backing up through the drains.

  • Boston Market #609 (listed above, under pest violations). Administrative complaint recommendation listed nine violations, including two high priority. The violations included live pests. After two follow-up inspections, the restaurant met standards on Oct. 21.

In Lakeland:

  • Tropical Flavor, a mobile food-dispensing vehicle with an address at 1011 E. Main St. was given a warning Oct. 20 that requires a follow-up inspection. The warning cited two intermediate violations: a handwashing sink not accessible at all times, and a mobile food dispensing vehicle operating from an unapproved commissary.

In Auburndale:

  • Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, 501 Magnolia Ave., received a warning Oct. 18 that required a follow-up inspection. The warning cited four violations, two of which were intermediate: no paper towels at handwash sink, and no proof of state-approved employee training.

Inspections are reported through the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, which says each inspection is a snapshot and restaurants could have more or fewer violations on other days. High-priority violations are those that could cause food poisoning or injury, such as problems with cooking, cooling and handwashing. Intermediate violations are those that could lead to risk factors that could contribute to food poisoning or injury, such as problems with personnel training. Basic violations are those that violate best practices.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: 4 Polk restaurants found with pest violations, but 9 were perfect