Hundreds of rodent droppings, bag of rice ‘chewed through’: 5 South Florida restaurants ordered shut

A mold-like substance in an ice machine, 36 live flies in the kitchen and other areas, and hundreds of rodent droppings were among the violations that prompted the state to shut five South Florida restaurants last week.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for “high-priority violations,” such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.

Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spotted a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR . (But please don’t contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesn’t inspect restaurants.)

Pukara On The Beach, Deerfield Beach

241 NE 21st Ave.

Ordered shut: April 11; reopened April 12

Why: Seven violations ( two high-priority ), including about 36 flies buzzing “around ware washing area” and “resting on cutting boards stored at food prep table in kitchen” and “on dry food storage rack in kitchen,” and “resting and flying on napkins and shelving at the front counter.”

Four live roaches were seen crawling in the kitchen — “on wall and utensil storage rack above triple sink” and “on the wall behind cook line.” The kitchen also had approximately 23 dead roaches “on the floor in front of dishwasher in kitchen” and “inside dish machine uncovered electrical compartment.”

A next-day inspection found four violations (two high-priority), but the restaurant was able to reopen later that day with one basic violation .

Texas de Brazil, Sunrise

2606 Sawgrass Mills Circle, Suite 1301B

Ordered shut: April 12; reopened April 12

Why: Six violations ( two high-priority ), including 21 flies landing on a dry storage shelf, on the ceiling around a storage area and on a napkin on a dining table.

Sanitizing solution was found that was “not at the proper minimum strength listed in the manufacturer’s instructions,” so the restaurant was told not to use equipment and utensils that were not properly sanitized. Additionally, tomatoes and chimichurri were “not adequately covered under sneeze guard at buffet line.”

In the grill area, a soap dispenser was not working at the handwashing sink.

The restaurant was allowed to reopen the same day despite two intermediate and basic violations .

The Skinny Dip Frozen Yogurt Bar, Hollywood

3359 Sheridan St.

Ordered shut: April 10; reopened April 11

Why: 11 violations ( two high-priority ), including an employee seen preparing a “mixed tea beverage for customer without washing hands and putting on gloves to handle cup.”

The report also noted an employee was “wearing bracelets while preparing mixed tea beverage.”

The inspection found “two cans (of) household pesticides under prep table in back prep area,” along with an “unknown substance in spray bottle under front counter” that was labeled “cleaner” by an employee.

The store was cited for having the “hot water turned off at hand wash sink due to missing drain line.”

During a follow-up inspection the next day, Skinny Dip was allowed to reopen with two basic and intermediate violations.

Amigos Mexican Spanish Restaurant, West Palm Beach

4720 Okeechobee Blvd.

Ordered shut: April 8; reopened April 10

Why: 13 violations ( nine high-priority ), including more than 150 rodent droppings in kitchen areas such as “dry storage area on top of bags of rice, boxes of cornstarch, containers of sugar and boxes of single-service articles,” “on top of bag in box soda dispensing system,” “on prep table” and “on window sill behind clean dish storage shelves.” There were also “approximately 100 rodent droppings behind bar on shelves with clean glasses/liquor bottles.”

The state issued a stop sale on a 50-pound bag of rice that was “chewed through, with rodent droppings on and around bag.” In addition, stop sales were ordered “due to temperature abuse” on cooked items including yuca, spinach, shrimp and pork.

The report also noted that an “employee handled raw fish and proceeded to prepare plates of cooked food without washing hands and changing gloves.”

Food storage issues were observed, including “raw bacon in portioned wrapped paper, stored over portioned cooked pork” and “raw fish not commercially packaged, stored over tortillas.” Also in the report: An ice machine “with visual mold-like substance inside.”

A follow-up inspection two days later found no violations and the restaurant reopened.

Antojitos Mexicanos 3, Pompano Beach

2491 N. Dixie Highway

Ordered shut: April 8; reopened April 9

Why: 15 violations ( four high-priority ), including two roaches seen “crawling on hand sink in ware wash area” and “stuck to sticky paper trap next to bread crumb storage container in prep area.” Additionally, about eight dead roaches were found “inside reach-in chest freezer, door jamb in kitchen” and on the same sticky paper trap.

The report noted that a can of WD-40 and rodent gel were “stored next to container of dried beans in prep area.” In the kitchen, dish towels were being “used as liner and cover for corn tortillas in the bowl.”

Also, an employee was seen “preparing food while wearing watch, bracelet, and ring with set stones.”

A next-day visit found one intermediate violation and four basic violations, but the restaurant was allowed to reopen.