Restaurant Inspections: Rodents, roaches and frogs shut down 5 eateries in Brevard
Ginny BeaganEvery day our digital database of restaurant inspections is updated showing which restaurants passed, which failed and which racked up numerous citations from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.
You can search by county or by restaurant name. You can see which restaurants were fined for their missteps and which were forced into temporary closure.
Every few weeks we share the restaurants with the most violations while highlighting those that passed with flying colors.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: Check our database of restaurant inspections from throughout the state
Here's the breakdown on recent inspections:
Five Brevard eateries temporarily shut down
A dead frog and rodent activity was enough to get Shore Lanes & City Limits Lounge, 4851 S. Dairy Road, Melbourne, shutdown Feb. 18. With 19 violations, inspector's notes included several high priority violations such as a dead frog in the ceiling. The restaurant met inspection standards the next day and was reopened.
The Northside Sports Grill, 4835 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., Melbourne, was ordered to shut its doors Feb. 22 after it was cited for 27 violations. High priority violations included live roaches present at several locations in the kitchen and an accumulation of a black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine, according to the inspector's notes. The restaurant reopened the following day after a follow-up inspection.
Rodent activity and 17 other violations closed Ichabod's Bar and Grille, 2320 N. State Road A1A, Indialantic, on Feb. 22. The inspector noted both fresh and "crusty" rodent droppings in several areas of the kitchen. The next day's follow-up inspection had the number of violations down to four and the restaurant was reopened.
Kay's Real Pit Bar-B- Que & Steaks, 1552 W. King St., Cocoa, also was temporarily shutdown due to rodent activity and 22 other violations. Along with notes of several different rodent droppings, the inspector noted several potentially hazardous food temperature issues, both high priority violations, at the Feb. 20 inspection. The restaurant reopened the following day with 15 violations noted on the follow-up report.
Red Ginger, 6300 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, was cited for 22 violations Feb. 14. Inspector's notes mentioned "approximately 100 semi-soft (rodent) droppings" on the cook line and other high priority violations. The eatery met inspection standards on its follow-up inspection and was reopened Feb. 15.
Restaurants are temporarily closed when an inspector from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants finds conditions that may endanger the health and safety of the public.
A follow-up inspection usually is conducted the following day and if the violations of the most concern have been rectified, the business can reopen.
High violation counts
TJ's For Breakfast, 1256 S. Rockledge Blvd., Rockledge, was cited for 55 violations. Thai Thai House, 215 Palm Bay Road, Melbourne, incurred 30 violations on its Feb. 14 inspection. Old School Pizza, 3150 S. Babcock St., Melbourne had 30. Beef O' Brady's, 2825 Garden St., Titusville was cited for 29 violations. Ryan's Pizza & Pub, 4 Harrison St., Cocoa, had 28; and Bunky's Raw Bar & Seafood Grill, 2372 N. A1A, Indialantic, had 27 violations at its Feb. 22 inspection.
Eateries may incur what seems like a high number of violations and remain open. That's because the violations are not considered a direct threat to the health and safety of the public. A follow-up inspection is scheduled to be sure the citations are corrected.
HOW DO INSPECTIONS WORK?:Here's what Florida inspectors look for when rating restaurant kitchens
The good news
Brevard restaurants with zero violations this month are Tree Of Life Cuban Food Corporation,1200 Malabar Road, Palm Bay; Moos Soft Serve, 930 N. State Road A1A, Indialantic; Original Continental Flambe, 936 E. New Haven Ave., Melbourne; Dandys Soft Serve Ice Cream, 2990 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach; Mama Joy's Cookin, a food truck based out of Melbourne; The Bearded Chef, 3280 Suntree Blvd., Suntree; Firehouse Subs, 981 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach.
More:Brevard restaurant inspections: Alamo Mexican Kitchen temporarily shut down
More:24 Brevard County restaurants failed inspection so far in February