Philly restaurants closed for health violations
Managers at two South Philly restaurants are gnashing their teeth after receiving health department inspections they consider unfair. Caffe Valentino, the BYOB in Pennsport, was shut down twice this week after failing inspections that turned up numerous insects.
Managers at two South Philly restaurants are gnashing their teeth after receiving health department inspections they consider unfair.
Caffe Valentino, the BYOB in Pennsport, was shut down twice this week after failing inspections that turned up numerous insects.
The first inspection, on Monday, noted live roaches on the walls and floors and numerous fruit flies in the kitchen. At the second inspection, on Wednesday, the roaches were reportedly dead, but still stuck to a wall, and fruit flies circled under a kitchen sink.
Caffe Valentino's owner said the inspector's claims were exaggerated.
"We had the kitchen powerwashed Tuesday, every single thing in place and we had the exterminator here," said Cosimo Tricarico. "One fly and a small water leak under a sink. That's why they closed us down."
The inspector also noted a case of spoiled tomatoes in a walk-in refrigerator and a missing sign reminding employees to wash their hands. Tricarico said the box contained one tomato with "a little black spot" and the sign was replaced.
Asked when Caffe Valentino would reopen, Tricarico sighed.
"That's the million dollar question right now," he said Wednesday. "I don't know what to do."
At Monsu, the Sicilian bistro at the Italian Market, an inspector on June 2 noted mouse droppings in the kitchen on plates, bowls, cooking utensils. The observation cost the restaurant two days of business.
The inspector was at the door before employees arrived to start preparations for that night's dinner, said manager Ernesto Guzman.
"It caught us totally off guard," Guzman said. "She totally went ballistic."
Guzman, who described the inspector's assessment as "unfair," acknowledged the restaurant had a rodent problem that week but said he had already called an exterminator.
"We've totally taken care of the mouse problem," he said. "It's the first time it's ever happened. We'll be making sure we don't have that problem any more."
In other inspection lowlights this month, two Chinese restaurants - Sannie at the Cottman-Bustleton strip mall and Wong Wong in Chinatown - were asked to temporarily close. Each has twice previously been issued cease and desist orders. Owners of the two restaurants could not be reached for comment.
Not asked to close, but cited June 10 for "lots of (mouse) feces" was the World Cafe Live, the West Philadelphia entertainment complex at 3025 Walnut St. The droppings were found in both its upstairs and downstairs kitchens. The report included nine other violations, including improperly refrigerated foods. In an email, a spokesman for World Cafe Live said management had been disappointed by the recent inspection and had taken immediate action to fix the problems.
The eateries listed below were inspected between May 31 and June 15.
Each inspection is generally regarded as a "snapshot in time" and is not necessarily a reflection of day-to-day conditions at the business. Most violations were immediately corrected on site. Restaurants were allowed to reopen after health department approval.
Included with each listing is an edited selection of infractions noted by health department sanitarians. Visit Philly.com/cleanplates for a searchable database of inspections; click on a restaurant's name to see a detailed report.
If you suspect you've contracted food poisoning at a Philadelphia eatery or have a sanitation complaint, contact the health department at (215) 685-7495.
This story was updated on June 17 to correct the identity of Caffe Valentino's owner, Cosimo Tricarico, who previously had given the reporter a false name.
1245 S 3RD ST 19147
15 violations, 4 serious.
No sign in toilet room reminding employees to wash hands; case of spoiled tomatoes in walk-in refrigerator; fruit flies in kitchen; dead roaches on wall, on top of dishwasher and espresso machine. Inspected June 15.
121 SOUTH ST 19147
11 violations, 5 serious.
Person in charge not present; pink slime on interior of ice machine; mouse droppings on food container, live roaches, numerous flies; standing water in basement prep area. Inspected June 14.
Tasteful Sensations Seafood & Soulfood
3703 PULASKI AVE 19140
12 violations.
Thermometers not available in refrigerators; mouse infestation: droppings under sink, along floor perimeters, on basement stairs, in toilet room. Ordered to cease operations until reinspection. Inspected June 13.
1245 S 03RD ST 19147
9 violations, 2 serious.
Flies in kitchen on dishes and food storage containers; roaches on prep table, walls and on floors in kitchen; no sign in restroom to remind food employees to wash hands. Ordered to cease operations for 48 hours. Inspected June 13.
3100 N FRONT ST 19132
1 violation, 0 serious.
No valid food license. Inspected June 12.
499 DOMINO LN 19128
1 violation, 1 serious.
No food safety certified person present. Inspected June 10.
6667 GERMANTOWN AVE 19119
7 violations, 1 serious.
Food safety certified person not present; mouse feces on shelving and basement floor. Inspected June 6.
258 E ALLEGHENY AVE 19134
10 violations, 4 serious
Food safety certified person not present; open rodent bait on floor perimeters; mouse droppings behind bar; pooled liquids in reach-in refrigerator; dust and debris on restroom floors. Inspected June 3.
9 violations, 6 serious.
Food safety certified person did not know foodborne illness symptoms and reporting practices; no hot or cold water; handsink used as storage area. Inspected June 2.
901 CHRISTIAN ST 19147
19 violations, 10 serious.
Mouse droppings on plates, bowls, cooking utensils, along corners of kitchen, and on top of sandwich prep unit; coffee and espresso servers' area has no handwash sink; raw eggs stored above fresh produce; utensils not cleaned to sight and touch; fruitflies in basement prep and warewashing areas; grease and old food debris along floors. Inspected June 2.
2117 COTTMAN AVE 19149
34 violations, 10 serious.
Accumulated roach remains in sink, on refrigerator surfaces and on shelves; improper handwashing; no soap in men's restroom; accumulated residue and food debris in handwashing sinks; raw chicken stored above raw shrimp and pork in cooler; raw meats stored above sauces in cooler; uncovered foods in food prep, dining area and refrigerator; foods improperly stored at room temperature; rodent feces on shelves with food equipment; multiple dead fruit flies in container of uncovered raw chicken. Inspected June 2. Previously ordered to cease and desist Nov. 7, 2013 and Mar. 3, 2011.
2630 DICKINSON ST 19146
24 violations, 11 serious.
Person in charge did not know Pa. food code; food safety certified person, with expired certificate, arrived late; employee drinking coffee without lid in kitchen; no soap at sinks in toilet and kitchen; 17 packages of Gerber baby food on shelves expired July 2013; food items improperly refrigerated and smelled foul; child running around in kitchen area. Inspected June 2.
941 RACE ST 19107
25 violations, 7 serious
Live roaches in food prep sink, on prep table, and in container of uncooked rice; multiple dead roaches on dining room floor and food prep area; severely dented and swollen cans; blood and other drainage dripping from hanging poultry in walk-in refrigerator; raw chicken, beef and shrimp stored in same freezer bin; multiple food items out of temperature; chicken feet, sliced pork intestine need to be labeled with common names of the food; live worm under basement food prep table. Inspected June 2. Previously ordered to cease and desist Oct. 2, 2013 and Mar. 21, 2010.
234 N. 9TH ST 19107
30 violations, 9 serious.
Food safety certified person not present initially, did not know which foodborne illnesses need to be reported to health department; raw chicken stored with shrimp and squid in same bucket; foul smell at indoor garbage storage area; open employee beverage in food prep kitchen; no soap and paper towels in service area; shrimp and meat not held below 41 degrees; floor cleaning needed in coolers and freezers; employees' pants stored with rice flour; live roach, mouse droppings; black cat in basement. Inspected June 1. In March, the restaurant amassed 34 violations and was found to be operating without a license.
47 N 33RD ST 19104
10 violations, 6 serious.
No food safety certified person on site; inadequate hot water; improper handwashing, employee did not wash hands between tasks; food not protected from contamination; heavy infestation of fruit flies on strawberries, ants crawling near sink. Inspected June 1.
4420 GERMANTOWN AVE 19144
20 violations, 2 serious.
No food safety certified person on site; residue accumulated on soda gun nozzle; no thermometers in refrigerators; garbage disposal not working; general cleaning needed in kitchen. Inspected June 1.
1455 N 29TH 19121
12 violations, 3 serious.
No soap in restroom; numerous mouse dropping on food prep surfaces, shelves, on unused food equipment, container of bread crumbs; clean and disinfect all shelves and outer surfaces of food equipment. Inspected June 1.
3231 POWELTON AVE 19104
24 violations, 11 serious.
Business does not have health awareness reporting procedure for food employees; open employee beverage container in food prep area; improper employee handwashing, no soap or water used; severely dented and swollen cans in storage area. Inspected May 31.
215-854-2796 @samwoodiii
This article has been changed to remove the word "takeout" from the description of Sannie and Wong Wong.