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Pat's, DiBruno's, Joy Tsin Lau rapped for health violations

One of Philadelphia most-beloved cheesesteak joints, an outpost of the city's best-known gourmet grocer, a strip club and a franchise of a national "pizza pizza" chain were among the eateries this month to receive a drubbing - and perhaps a few well-deserved lessons - from the health department.

One of Philadelphia most-beloved cheesesteak joints, an outpost of the city's best-known gourmet grocer, a strip club and a franchise of a national "pizza pizza" chain were among the eateries this month to receive a drubbing - and perhaps a few well-deserved lessons - from the health department.

The city's health inspectors dropped in unannounced at nearly 200 restaurants and groceries between Jan. 14 and 21. At the overwheming majority they found few violations. But several well-known eateries were dinged for a slew of minor infractions. And at one, inspectors found conditions that would make squeamish diners lose their appetites.

Joy Tsin Lau, the dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, made its second appearance this month. Early last year, 100 lawyers and law students were sickened with suspected food poisoning after attending a banquet at the restaurant. On Jan. 7, the beleaguered restaurant was cited for inadequate refrigeration. During a Jan. 14 reinspection, an inspector cited Joy Tsin Lau for storing several food items outside, some of which were not covered, and pork intestines stored in a walk-in refrigerator at a potentially dangerous 57 degrees. The inspector also noted that the door of walk-in cooler could not close properly. An attorney for Joy Tsin Lau did not respond to several calls from a reporter requesting comment.

At Little Caesars on Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia on Jan. 20, an inspector watched as a kitchen employee blew her nose and then neglected to immediately wash her hands. It wasn't just any kitchen worker, said day manager, Charmaine Smith.

"I hate to talk about that, because that was not a regular employee," Smith said. "That was the general manager."

Smith said the general manager reached for a handkerchief during a conversation with the inspector about sanitation.

"That's why she didn't just run to the sink," Smith said. "That would have been rude. After they wrote it up, she washed her hands."

The inspector cited the pizza franchise with a total of 15 infractions, six of which were considered serious risks to food safety. Violations included built-up grease, grime and debris throughout the restaurant, old food remnants on "all food equipment," and a general lack of handwashing.

In the wake of the visit, Smith said employees were "cleaning the restaurant more thoroughly than we have before." They're also much quicker to lather up at the sink, she said.

Other eateries were cited with very minor violations, but managed to rack up of a number of them.

At Pat's King of Steaks, the cheesesteak mecca in South Philadelphia, an inspector on Jan. 14 noted 11 infractions, six of which the health department considered serious. They included an open coffee cup, a dirty knife, a build-up of slimy biofilm in an ice machine, and a mouse dropping.

"According to my manager the corrections were immediately made on site," said co-owner Frank E. Olivieri Jr. last week. "They're all minor infractions. You can go into any restaurant and find violations."

Olivieri, who said he is qualified to teach the city's food safety course, said he picked up something new as a result of the latest inspection.

Said Olivieri, "I just learned if you're having coffee in the kitchen, you have to drink it with a straw."

At gourmet grocer DiBruno Bros. on 8th Street near Chestnut, an inspector noted 16 infractions, eight of which were considered serious. According to the Jan. 14 report, at least one employee didn't follow proper handwashing procedures, several food items were held at unsafe temperatures and there was some evidence of rodents.

"Even with all the best efforts, occasionally you can still be vulnerable to an employee mishandling items or an unforeseen, unexpected, rodent issue," said Bill Mignucci, president and CEO of DiBruno's. "We've corrected all of (the violations), and did it very swiftly."

At Club Risque on the Delaware, a strip club on Columbus Boulevard, an inspector noted 14 violations at the club's restaurant. Among three most serious infractions cited on Jan. 21 were expired employee food safety certificates, mold on the soda dispenser "holsters," and salad dressings held at unsafe temperatures.

"There's a couple of things on (the report) that I disagree with," said manager Connie Innezzelli. "But you have to go with what they write. You can't argue with them."

Innezzelli said after the inspection the restaurant repaired a refrigeration unit and scheduled its kitchen employees to take the city's food safety course.

"We run a clean operation. We don't have any rodents or bugs."

For more on restaurant inspections on Philly.com see www.philly.com/cleanplates.

Eateries that garnered more than three serious violations between Jan. 14 and Jan. 22 are listed below. Click on the restaurant name to read the complete inspection report.

Contact staff writer Sam Wood at samwood@phillynews.com, 215-854-2796 or @samwoodiii. 

Inspected Jan. 22

Dos Tacos
120 S 15TH ST 19102
Violations: 19 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 10)
Employees not following correct handwashing practices; employees eating in kitchen; raw meat stored next to lettuce; food not properly refrigerated.

Ridge Kitchen
3132 RIDGE AVE 19121
Violations: 11 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Hand washing sink in kitchen not operating. Inadequate refrigeration.

Inspected Jan. 21 

Seafood and Produce Market
6234 BUSTLETON AVE 19149
Reinspection
Violations: 26 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 9)
Roach remains were observed in the food prep and grinder, repeat violation;  person in charge lacked knowledge of the food borne illnesses; rodent feces on the counter in the food prep area; live roach walking on food container; accumulations of dead roaches on glueboards in the basement.

Cho's Ez Brunch Inc
1540 PRATT ST 19124
Reinspection
Violations: 24 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 9)
Food held at bacteria-friendly temps; mouse feces.

Juan Becerro Grocery
2639 W SOMERSET ST 19132
Reinspection
Violations: 19 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 7)
Gnawed box of cat food; accumulated food residue on slicer; No detectable sanitizer in sanitizing solution; deli meats held at bacteria-frieldly temperatures; open pesticide on the shelf with cat food; mouse droppings; gnawed pesticide.

49 Stop Supermarket
4847 WALNUT ST 19139
Reinspection
Violations: 17 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 6)
Potentially hazardous food held at unsafe termperatures; food not protected from contamination; empty paper towel dispenser in kitchen; employees lacked hair restraints.

Club Risque on the Delaware
1700 S COLUMBUS BLVD 19148
Violations: 17 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 3)
Expired food safety certificates; mold growing on the soda gun holsters in the bar area.

Falcon Tavern
2340 DUNCAN ST 19124
Reinspection
Violations: 15 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Mold in ice machine; employees handled ice with bare hands.

Inspected Jan. 20

Jennifer Grocery
4823 CHESTER AVE 19143
Violations: 24 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 7)
No soap at handwashing sink; no paper towels; lacked documentation to show soft pretzels were from an approved source; employee spotted throwing egg shells over equipment, putting other food at risk of contamination; clean dishes stored on dirty drying rack.

Little Caesars
7360 W PASSYUNK AVE 19153
Violations: 15 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 6)
Employee was observed blowing her nose and did not wash her hands; inadequate handwashing frequency; food equipment and contact surfaces heavily encrusted with old food debris; multiple trays of pizza dough were observed uncovered in the walk-in; heavily encrusted drying racks observed where sanitized dishes are stored; holes in ceiling in toilet room;  equipment and food contact surfaces needed cleaning throughout entire facility; heavy grease, grime and debris build up observed throughout.

Teppanyaki Grill & Seafood Buffet
330 W OREGON AVE 19148
Violations: 23 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Empty paper towel dispenser; uncovered food in walk-in refrigerators; food held at unsafe temperatures; mice feces; toilet rooms needed cleaning.

Inspected Jan. 19

Saigon Maxim Restaurant
612 WASHINGTON AVE 19147
Violations: 21 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 7)
Soap was not available at the handwash sink; employee was observed touching ready to eat ham with his bare hands; mouse droppings observed on shelves in the kitchen area,

Fare
2028 FAIRMOUNT AVE 19130
Violations: 14 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 6)
No soap at a handwashing sink; mouse droppings in a "pan of food containers"; no sanitizing chlorine measured in the dishwasher; mouse droppings, unapproved construction.

J C Chinese Restaurant
1701 S 08TH ST 19148
Violations: 18 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 5)
Uncovered foods in refrigerators; mouse feces,

Girard Mini Market
2901 W GIRARD AVE 19130
Violations: 16 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 6)
Uncovered meats in displace cases and in deep freezer; dirty meat slicer; manager lacked knowledge about food code.

Inspected Jan. 16

Original New York Bagel
7555 HAVERFORD AVE 19151
Reinspection
Violations: 12 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 3)
Food is not protected from contamination.

Father Erkie & JeanneB
6505 LANSDOWNE AVE 19151
Reinspection
Violations: 15 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Raw chicken was observed being stored improperly over raw vegetables in the refrigerator; food was not protected from contamination; incorrect sanitization procedures. Raw chicken held at bacteria-friendly temperatures.

Inspected Jan. 15

Bru Craft & Wurst
1318 CHESTNUT ST 19107
Reinspection
Violations: 17 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 7)
Employee was observed touching ready to eat food (cutting lime) with his bare hands; handwash sink in the kitchen area was blocked by stacks of food containers; food items uncovered in refrigerator; black residue is observed on the interior of the ice machine; employees not wearing effective hair restraints.

DiBruno Bros.
834 CHESTNUT ST 19107
Reinspection
Violations: 16 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 8)
Soap was not available at the handwash sink; empty paper towel dispenser; sneeze guards don't provide adequate protection; soft pretzels only partially protected from patron comtamination; mashed potatos held at unsafe temperatures; personal items stored on food prep counters; visible physical evidence of rodent (mouse) activity; floors in need of cleaning.

Mama Angelina's Pizza
1337 LOCUST ST 19107
Violations: 20 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 8)
Person in charge didn't know state food code or how to clean and sanitize kitchen ware; open beverage containers; accumulated food residue on meat slicer; black residue in in ice machine; food at unsafe temperatures; personal items stored in food prep area; evidence of rodent activity; employees not wearing or wearing ineffective hair restraints.

Nanees Indian Pakistani Kitchen
51 N 12TH ST 19107
Violations: 13 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 7)
Improper handwashing procedures; potentially dangerous food not stored correctly.

Bitar's Specialty Food Market
947 FEDERAL ST 19147
Violations: 16 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 5)
Lacked handwashing soap and towels; food (tabouli, hummus, spinach turn over and other items) held at bacteria-friendly temperatures; mouse droppings along kitchen floor

Sun Shanty
6114 GERMANTOWN AVE 19144
Reinspection
Issued a cease and desist order for unsanitary conditions; raw chicken observed lying in unclean sink. handwashing sink in kitchen not working; mouse droppings, roaches in kitchen; childrens play pen in kitchen; broken garbage disposal; fly infestation.

Inspected Jan. 14

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet
7301 CASTOR AVE 19149
Reinspection
Violations: 22 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 10)
Incorrect storage of raw meets; grime and debris found on soda nozzle; mussels and squid held above safe temperatures.

Paula Grocery
5300 AKRON ST 19124
Reinspection
Violations: 22 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 8)
Leaking pipes in restroom; no soap at handwashing sink; slicer not clean; potentially dangerous food held at bacteria-friendly temps.

Acme Market # 7714
7010 GERMANTOWN AVE 19119
Violations: 13 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 6)
Raw rotisserie chickens observed in walkin cooler on racks without proper protection or covers; weak sanitizing solution; chicken fingers held below 135 degrees in hot foods area display case.

Joy Tsin Lau
1026 RACE ST 19107
Inspection Type: Reinspection
Violations: 6 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Several food items stored outside, some not covered; pork intestine in the walk-in cooler was at 57 degrees; door of walk-in cooler could not close properly; sweet rice in the banana leaves were held at unsafe temperatures.

Pat's Steaks
1237 E PASSYUNK AVE 19147
Violations: 11 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 5)
Open employee coffee container; dirty knives; black residue in ice machine; mushrooms held at bacteria-friendly temperatures.

Devil's  Alley
1907 CHESTNUT ST 19103
Reinspection
Violations: 13 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 4)
Squid observed thawing in standing water; visible physical evidence of rodent activity; employees lacked effective hair restraints.

Saxby's Coffee
2000 WALNUT ST 19103
Reinspection
Violations: 9 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 5)
No soap at handwashing sink; floors needed cleaning.

The Black Taxi
745 N 25TH ST 19130
Violations: 17 (Foodborne Illness Risks: 5)
Utensils and equipment not being washed properly.