Eateries recently closed by Philly health inspectors

A dozen restaurants and markets were closed temporarily by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health between July 6 and July 18 for "unacceptable" conditions or "imminent health hazards."

Health department inspectors visit nearly 1,000 eateries and food retailers every two weeks. Every 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 in the presence of an inspector.

A list of eateries which were closed, or are facing court dates, follows.

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

Edmondson's Lounge
6004 MARKET ST 19139
9 violations, 5 serious.
No hot water;  mouse feces in kitchen; empty paper towel dispenser; insufficient refrigeration, food held at hazardous temperatures; Raid and Ortho spray on premises, pesticides may only be used by licensed exterminators, refrigerator needs to be cleaned. Asked to close temporarily on July 17.

Sweet Treat Hut
1240 N 50TH ST 19131
30 violations, 10 serious.
No hot water or paper towels in restroom; defective refrigerator, foods held at hazardous temperatures; fruit flies in food prep area; food safety certified person did not know the foodborne illnesses; no handwashing sink in the prep area;  desserts not certified  from an approved source; glue fly strips were in the prep area ; missing thermometers; bearded employees not wearing beard nets; general floor cleaning needed. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 14.

Smile & Buy
1636 S 58TH ST 19143
21 violations, 11 serious.
No hot water; no soap or paper towels at restroom sink; palm oil not labeled; no hand wash sink in rear kitchen;  food cooked on outdoor barbecue; raw meat stored over raw vegetables; facility not sanitizing dishes; flies; cans of Raid under prep table. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 14.

Percy Street
900 SOUTH ST 19147
20 violations, 7 serious.
Empty paper towel dispenser; house flies in prep room; moldy box of cucumbers; fly in flour container; food held at hazardous temperatures —chicken, pork, cooked vegetables stored between 49 and 52 degrees F; live mouse and open bait under staircase; sous vide cooking without health department approval; mouse droppings on prep table shelves, under vacuum processing machine, behind water heater, behind deep freeze, in dirty linen bag, under meat slicer, behind refrigeration unit in bar area, on clean wiping rag in warewash area and in container storing chemicals (repeat violation); liquor stored in toilet room in basement (repeat violation). Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 13.

Dwight's Southern Bar B Que
3734 GERMANTOWN AVE 19140
18 violations, 5 serious.
Baked goods not from an approved source (repeat violation); severely distressed cans of chili sauce, tuna, and cheddar sauce (repeat violation); live roach in food prep sink; dead mouse on glue board; mouse droppings, roaches and gnats throughout facility (repeat violation); no trash receptacle for customers outside facility; debris along floor perimeters. Asked to close temporarily on July 13.

Chef's Grill Lunch Truck/#V-03128
3400 MARKET ST 19104
7 violations, 5 serious.
Food employee did not wash hands between changing tasks due to scalding hot water; no cold water; turkey burgers held at hazardous temperatures. Asked to close temporarily on July 13.

Checker's #481
2008 W OREGON AVE 19145
19 violations, 8 serious.
Person in charge not present; flies in food prep area; empty paper towel dispenser; food prep sink not clean; cheese, mayo and tartar sauce held at hazardous temperatures; blue chemical stored on ice machine; no thermometers in refrigerators; employee not wearing hair restraint; defective refrigerator; uncontained dumpster. Ordered closed for minimum of 48 hours on July 12.

Dwight's Southern Bar B Que
3734 GERMANTOWN AVE 19140
23 violations, 11 serious.
Food safety certified person is operating in unsanitary conditions;  Paper towels and soap were not available at handwashing sinks in front prep and rear storage areas.; chicken held at hazardous temperature; baked goods are from an approved source;  distressed cans of chili sauce, sweet potatoes, and cream of coconut; gnats on peeled sweet potatoes; uncovered turkey wings and sweet potatoes in walk-in cooler; accumulated food residue on can opener; no sanitizer used after cleaning dishware; insecticides on kitchen shelves; roaches on glue boards; mouse droppings, roaches, gnats, and flies observed throughout; no trash receptacle for customers outside of the establishment. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 11.

Mozz Pizza & Steaks
1901 E WASHINGTON LN 19138
14 violations, 5 serious.
Inadequate refrigeration (repeat violations); empty paper towel dispenser in restroom;  uncovered peppers and olives in walkin cooler (repeat violation); front door propped open at the time of inspection (repeat); house flies; Asked to close temporarily on July 11.

Capital Beer
2661 E CUMBERLAND ST 19125
Food safety person not present (repeat violation). Asked to close temporarily on July 11.

New Q Q Chinese Restaurant
633 Oregon Ave.
15 violations, 1 serious.
Uncovered food in refrigerator (repeat violation); mice feces on food prep table, on wooden platform in basement, on floor under the front counter "where baseball is located;" flies in the food prep area and customer waiting space; no mop sink (repeat); heavy ice accumulation in freezer (repeat); Ordered to close for 48 hours on July 10.

New Q Q Chinese Restaurant
23 violations, 4 serious.
Mice feces in bulk can of flour; freezer burnt foods inside of reach-in freezer; foods not covered in several refrigeration units or stored in plastic shopping bags;  food thawing in standing water. mice feces on floors in the food prep area, basement, and toilet room, on food prep table shelf where bulk foods are stored, on basement shelves; live roach crawling on shelf where pans are stored; flies in the food prep area; no mop sink; soiled toilet, debris and mice feces on restroom floor; heavy ice accumulation in freezer. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 7.

Taste of Africa
6518 WOODLAND AVE 19142
21 violations, 7 serious.
Cockroaches in bulk food and throughout facility; flies throughout; mice feces and dead mouse in basement;empty paper towel dispenser in toilet room; no cold water in restroom; dirty dishes in food prep sink; food thawing at room temperature on counter;  insufficient thermometers;  no health awareness reporting procedure for food employees;  person in charge could not name foodborne illnesses. Ordered to close for minimum of 48 hours on July 7.

Media Grocery
1501 N 57TH ST 19131
Ordered closed by Court of Common Pleas on July 7.

Eateries scheduled for hearings in Court of Common Pleas on July 20:
Barra Rossa, 927 WALNUT ST 19107;  Zion Lutheran Christian Day Care, 5307 N FRONT ST 19120;  Pizzeria Nonna, 5301 GERMANTOWN AVE 19144; Jonalis Grocery Store Inc, 315 N 52ND ST 19139; JD McGillicuddy's Pub, 111 COTTON ST 19127; Osaka Restaurant, 8605 GERMANTOWN AVE 19118; Family Dollar Store #6929, 6555 GREENE ST 19119; Tejada Grocery 1, 2400 W ALLEGHENY AVE 19132; Fino's Pizzeria, 6784 GERMANTOWN AVE 19119; Almonte Grocery, 1945 POPLAR ST 19130.

Eateries scheduled for hearings in Court of Common Pleas on July 18:
Roman's Pizza, 6613 RIDGE AVE 19128; Frank's Pizza, 3600 FISK AVE 19129; Major's Market, 4207 RIDGE AVE 19129; Hickory Lane American Bistro, 2025 FAIRMOUNT AVE 19130; Cafe Michelangelo, 11901 BUSTLETON AVE 19116; Olney Breakfast, 1343 W OLNEY AVE 19141; Dayvi Food Market, 1738 W OXFORD ST 19121.

If you suspect you have contracted food poisoning or have a sanitation complaint, contact the health department at 215-685-7495.