An Old City cafe, Family Dollar, South St. Primo's closed for vermin

If we awarded a gross-out prize based on a health inspection document, a Family Dollar Store in West Philadelphia would have claimed it this week. For the first time in the (short) history of Clean Plates,  we found "strong smell of rodent urine" recorded on an official report. The variety store, on the 5700 block of Baltimore Ave., also was cited on Nov. 4 for "substantial rodent feces" and gnawed packages of chocolate and cookies. Eeeew.   Neither the store or its corporate management could be reached for comment.

Other violations at eateries closed for a minimum of 48 hours paled in comparison. One of the repeat offenders, an Old City cafe, was ordered to shut down twice last week after a health inspector found rat and mouse droppings and live and dead roaches. Café Square One, on the first block of South 3rd St., was told to stop serving on Nov. 7 and again on Nov. 9. A cease-and-desist order remained on their front door on Thursday.

Café Square One owner Daniel Anggriantano said the first inspection was fair, "but not the last one," he said. "We cleaned everything, but the second time they cited us for violations that we had already fixed."

The Philadelphia Department of Health inspected more than 500 restaurants, delis and other eateries between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9. More than 30 were declared "imminent health hazards" or "not in satisfactory compliance" and temporarily shuttered.

Each inspection is generally regarded as a "snapshot in time," and not necessarily a reflection of day-to-day conditions. Most violations were fixed immediately on site.

Included with each listing is an edited selection of infractions noted by health department sanitarians. Click on the 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.

To look up reports on a specific restaurant, or read more in the Inquirer's Clean Plates series, visit Philly.com/cleanplates.

Tarka Resturant
3801 CHESTNUT ST 19104
12 violations, 7 serious.
Mouse droppings throughout kitchen and on food contact services; roaches on floor in food prep area; drain flies; food safety person not present; open employee beverage in food prep area; kitchen hand wash sink blocked by coffee machine; moldy onions in storage room; food not cover inside refrigeration units; no chemical sanitizer used on equipment and utensils after washing; chicken held at temperatures known promote growth of hazardous bacteria;  all shelves need to be cleaned due to food debris. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on Nov. 7.  and again on Nov. 10. 

Permitted to reopen: Dominicana Grocery, 625 W. Clearfield St. ; Lincoln Fried Chicken, 801 E. Chelten Ave.

Scheduled for Nov. 10  hearings in Court of Common Pleas, Room 446, City Hall: Kelliann's, 1549 Spring Garden St.

Scheduled for Nov. 8  hearings in Court of Common Pleas, Room 446, City Hall: Joy Tsin Lau, 1026 Race St.; McDonalds, 1575 N. 52d St.; Torresdale Pizza, 7517 Torresdale Ave.; Kabuki Sushi, 45 N 13th St.; Mastery Charter School, Gratz Campus, 1798 W. Hunting Park Ave.; New Hong Kong Bakery, 917 Race St.; Sam's Grocery, 4847 A St.

Contact Sam Wood at swood@philly.com, 215-854-2796 or @samwoodiii