Polk restaurant inspections (Oct. 24-28): 3 restaurants found with pest violations

Karim Noorani USA TODAY NETWORK
·3 min read
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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 130 violations during 32 restaurant inspections between Oct. 24 and 28. Inspectors labeled 23 violations as high priority, 33 violations as intermediate priority and 74 violations as basic priority.

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

Three restaurants in Polk County violated pest standards. Inspectors found five restaurants did not follow good handwashing and hygienic practices. The department also handed out five 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 12 restaurants with five or more total violations.

Taco Express, 500 N. Charleston Ave., Fort Meade, was cited Oct. 24 with 20 total violations, Polk County's most.

No Polk County restaurants were closed.

MORE RECENT RESTAURANT INSPECTION REPORTS:

Oct. 17-21: 4 restaurants found with pest violations last week

Oct. 10-14: Polk County restaurant inspections: 6 failed to meet health, safety standards last week

Oct. 3-7: No closures, 3 perfect inspections in light week

Sept. 26-30: Inspectors cite 2 Polk County restaurants with 6 violations each

Sept. 19-23: 3 found with pest violations. 1 closes temporarily

Perfect inspections

In Frostproof:

In Haines City:

  • Firehouse Subs at 35902 U.S. 27 had a perfect inspection Oct. 25.

  • La Coolmena at 5570 U.S. 17-92 Unit 100 had a perfect inspection Oct. 26.

In Lakeland:

In Winter Haven:

Pest violations

In Fort Meade:

  • Taco Express, 500 N. Charleston Ave., was cited Oct. 24 with one pest violation among 20 total violations. The inspector noted a live fly in the kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Among the other high-priority violations, the inspection found two pots of beef soup stored in a walk-in cooler at 47 degrees, and a stop-sale was issued. An administrative complaint was recommended and a follow-up inspection is required.

In Lakeland:

  • Gary Wayne And Melissa Kruse, 900 Old Combee Road, was cited Oct. 28 with two pest violations among seven total violations. The inspection noted a few flies in the mobile food truck, among other lesser violation. An administrative complaint was recommended and a follow-up inspection required.

  • Terrace Hotel Restaurant, 329 E. Main St., was cited Oct. 27 with one pest violation among 10 total violations when the inspector saw a fly in the dishroom. Among the other four high-priority infractions, the inspector found butter stored above 41 degrees — 74 degrees on first try and 57 degrees on second — and a Hollandaise sauce that was not 135 degrees or higher. An administrative complaint was recommended and a follow-up inspection required.

The fourth restaurant that filed its first inspection was Hyatt Place Lakeland Center, at 525 W. Orange St., Lakeland. The restaurant was cited for seven violations, only one of which was a high-priority violation: several food items not stored at 41 degrees or lower. A warning was issued and a follow-up inspection required.

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 failed first inspection, 3 with pest violations