Rodent urine. Moldy cappuccino. Leaky ceiling. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·9 min read

Six restaurants, three convenience stores, a school, a grocery store, a popcorn shop and a food truck in and around Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week.

Their problems include “a pile of rodent droppings and urine next to a pallet of doughnut mix,” sinks that didn’t work or have hot water, greasy and dirty items in clean storage, employees who didn’t wash up or touched food with their bare hands, a leaky ceiling and a moldy ice bin and cappuccino machine, according to inspection reports.

Information about the thirteen businesses and a summary of their violations appear below. The list was compiled Feb. 1 and includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Jan. 21-27.

At least 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

Caldwell Elementary School, 1441 S. Edgemoor in Wichita — One violation on Jan. 27 during a joint inspection. The school was out of chlorine sanitizer for dishes. Next inspection: Feb. 3.

Casey’s General Store, 511 S. West St. in Wichita — Four violations on Jan. 24 during a joint inspection. The sink in men’s bathroom wasn’t working, tongs in clean storage had grease and food on them, no hot water at men’s bathroom sink, dented can of ravioli on sales shelves. Next inspection: Feb. 3.

El Fogon #2, 2604 N. Arkansas in Wichita — Ten violations on Jan. 24 during a routine inspection. Several foods in cooler including beans and chicken weren’t labeled with preparation or package opening dates, bag of raw chicken was stored above bags of cooked beans and meats in cooler, raw eggs stored on top of cheese, hand-washing sink in kitchen was covered by lid and dirty towel and utensils, tub of rice wasn’t at a safe holding temperature in cooler, pans in clean storage had grease and food on them, cook cut onions for pico de gallo with his bare hands, restaurant needs to keep log monitoring temperature of al pastor, fried churros were draining on a cardboard box that isn’t food grade, sandwich buns stored in trash bag that isn’t food grade, cooked onions and jalapenos held on grill weren’t hot enough, no thermometer on site. Next inspection: Feb. 3.

Golden Corral, 616 S. Ridge Road in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 23 during a follow-up inspection. Ceiling leak in back storage area, water at flood drain near ice machine was at the top of the flood rim, packages of food were stored below the leaky ceiling. Next inspection: Feb. 23.

Hibachi Boy, 3010 E. Central in Wichita — One violation on Jan. 23 during a licensing inspection. No hot water at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Feb. 2.

Karmelkorn inside Towne East Square, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 22 during a follow-up inspection. Shop couldn’t find probe food thermometer during inspection, bottle of soap wasn’t labeled with contents, no water at back hand-washing sink because it is disconnected. Next inspection: March 22.

La Tapatia Market, 1953 S. Seneca in Wichita — Eleven violations on Jan. 25 during a routine inspection. Ham was left out at room temperature on meat slicer, employee didn’t use soap to wash hands, baked goods including cookies and pastries weren’t covered to protect them from contamination, employee washed hands at a sink dedicated for another purpose, hand-washing sink in bakery was blocked by cardboard boxes, no paper towels at bakery hand-washing sink, employees didn’t remove gloves when they washed hands, no soap at bakery hand-washing sink, no backflow prevention on three-vat sink in meat department, bags of chips and other snacks weren’t labeled in English, phone and bag of chips were in basin of hand-washing sink. Next inspection: Feb. 4.

Noah’s Donut & Coffee Shop, 868 E. Grand in Haysville — One violation on Jan. 25 during a routine inspection. There was “a pile of rodent droppings and urine next to a pallet of doughnut mix” and on a shelf with dry goods, rodent droppings in cabinet under microwave. Next inspection: Feb. 4.

Peacock Inc., doing business as KC Gas & Groceries Station, 1955 S. Washington in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 26 during a routine inspection. No sanitizer at business, no soap in bathroom, dirty soda fountain nozzle and pink mold or mildew on ice bin baffle. Next inspection: Feb. 5.

Power Jack, 1001 N. Grove in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 22 during a routine inspection. No hot water at bathroom sink, old and moldy powder in cappuccino machine, no soap at bathroom sink. Next inspection: Feb. 1.

Sabor Latin Bar & Grille, 309 N. Mead in Wichita — Three violations on Jan. 23 during a follow-up inspection. Cooked pork and chicken weren’t hot enough in heated holding cabinet, pan of Cuban sandwiches were stored at room temperature and weren’t labeled with the time they were set out. Next inspection: Feb. 2.

Spear’s Restaurant & Pie Shop, 4323 W. Maple in Wichita — One violation on Jan. 25 during a follow-up inspection. The restaurant only had probe thermometers that weren’t calibrated correctly. Next inspection: Feb. 5.

Tacos Rey (mobile vendor/food truck), 1301 S. Oliver in Wichita — Five violations on Jan. 25 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Old mayonnaise and salsa, no test strips on site to measure strength of chlorine sanitizer, no sanitizer on mobile unit, business was selling salsa that was made in someone’s home, tortillas were stored in a T-shirt bag instead of a food-grade container. Next inspection: Feb. 8.

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

  • Alzavino Wine Tavern, 1001 W. Douglas in Wichita

  • Barn’rds Restaurant, 3860 N. Maize Road in Maize

  • Berneal’s Carryout, 2403 E. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Bimbo Bakeries USA, 4424 S. Palisades in Wichita

  • Bobalicious, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita

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

  • Casey’s General Store, 152 N. Fourth St. in Clearwater

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill, 7130 W. Maple, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 7777 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Dillons Marketplace, 1624 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Dollar Tree, 8510 W. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Dusti’s Place, 7006 W. MacArthur in Wichita

  • El Agave Mexican Restaurant, 3236 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • El Mexico Cafe, 2544 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 1025 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Food Mart, 1400 N. Market, Suite A in Wichita

  • Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 2130 N. Tyler Road, Suite 60 in Wichita

  • Hank is Wiser Brewery, 213 N. Main in Cheney

  • Heat Mavericks, 2645 N. Amidon in Wichita

  • Holmes Made Salsa, 1002 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Jason’s Deli, 7447 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Lalo’s Express, 2051 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Leeker’s Family Foods, 6223 N. Broadway in Park City

  • Los Aztecas Mexican Grill, 1540 E. 61st St. North in Park City

  • Lotte, 320 S. Market, Suite 101 in Wichita

  • Margarita’s Cantina, 3109 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Meals On Wheels/Friendship Meals, 10200 W. Maple in Wichita

  • One Stop, 802 N. West St. in Wichita

  • Park City Discount Liquor, 6225 N. Broadway in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Cessna Pawnee Tooling, 5800 E. Pawnee in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Grace Medical Clinic Eastridge, 830 S. Woodlawn in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Keycentrix, 423 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Popeyes, 3166 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Red Bird Sandwich Company, 6440 E. Central in Wichita

  • Rhatigan Student Center/Panda Express/Starbucks/Freddy’s/Chick-fil-A/Chartwells at Wichita State University, 1845 N. Fairmount in Wichita

  • River City Brewing Company, 150 N. Mosley in Wichita

  • River City Brewing Company, 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Parkway in Wichita

  • Riverside Cafe, 739 W. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Scooter’s Coffee, 3920 N. Maize Road in Maize

  • Sonic Drive-In, 110 S. West St. in Wichita

  • Sonic Drive-In, 8689 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Spangles, 3505 E. Harry in Wichita

  • Sunrise Christian Academy, 5500 E. 45th St. North in Bel Aire

  • The Sweet Spot, 8448 W. Central in Wichita

  • T&T Discount Cigarette Store, 3448 W. Douglas in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 2127 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Taco Shop, 1652 S. Webb in Wichita

  • Taqueria El Vago #2 (mobile vendor/food truck), 317 S. Poplar in Wichita

  • Ty’s Diner, 928 W. Second St. in Wichita

  • Wendy’s, 2120 N. Woodlawn 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.