2 Alachua County restaurants cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·4 min read

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Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you.

For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County for the week of March 11-17, 2024. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspection site.

Which Alachua County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their March 11-17 inspections and no violations were found.

** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week

Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?

Flip Factory Zone

7400 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on March 11

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

10 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed unlabeled disinfectant spray bottle stored with single serve on the bottom shelf of the prep table. This was moved to the top of the grease trap. **Corrected On-Site**

Ocean Buffet

6795 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville

Complaint Inspection on March 13

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

19 total violations, with 6 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee frying foods kept putting hands on hips while waiting for food to be done, when done he would transfer food to clean plate.

  • High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee cutting cooked chicken with bare hands. Employee adjusted chicken wings on platter with bare hands then rolled cart out to dining area to place on buffet.

  • High Priority - Employee used tobacco, ate, or drank then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee drink from cup then kept prepping chicken. Employee drink from cup then touched cooked chicken with bare hands.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw fish over cooked pork on cooling rack in walk in cooler. Raw fish over cooked noodles in walk in cooler. Operator moved all raw to the bottom. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. hibachi: garlic and oil (66F - Cold Holding) employee stated it is on time control but item is not listed on time paperwork or labeling papers.

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Detergent on shelf next to seasonings on cooks line. Hand soap on shelf above bulk seasoning containers in front dry storage area. Manager moved all chemicals away from food. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments.

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

Basic violations are those considered against best practices.

A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.

An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over."

An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.

A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville area restaurant/food truck inspections: March 11-17, 2024