2 Lake County restaurants get perfect scores on first try; 10 have high-priority violations

Staff reports
·7 min read

You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name.

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 Lake County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Lake County for the week of Aug. 14-20, 2023. 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 Lake County restaurant inspection site.

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

These restaurants met all standards during their Aug. 14-20 inspections and no violations were found.

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

Which Lake County restaurants had high priority violations?

Charleys Philly Steaks

17030 U.S. 441, Mount Dora

Routine Inspection on Aug. 14

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

19 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. - Spray bottle of cleaner stored on drink cup lids in front area. -Spray bottle of cleaner stored over food prep area in the kitchen **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet.

Chipotle Mexican Grill 2120

19025 U.S. 441, Mount Dora

Complaint Inspection on Aug. 16

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

8 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. black beans (55F - Cold Holding); pinto beans (55F - Cold Holding); queso (55F - Cold Holding); cooked pork (55F - Cold Holding) Operator discarded . **Warning**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb.

Domino's Pizza

2009 Citrus Blvd., Leesburg

Routine Inspection on Aug. 18

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

3 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. -2 in kitchen. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicken wings 44f, Cheese 45f. Less than 4 hours. Advised to rapid chill. **Warning**

Hardee's #1500724

301 E. Burleigh Blvd., Tavares

Complaint Inspection on Aug. 14

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

32 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee cracked raw shell eggs and then handled ready-to-eat food and/or clean equipment or utensils without washing hands. - cook at flat top grill. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. - Bug spray stored under front counter. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. **Warning**

Margarita Republic

1102 Main St., Lady Lake

Routine Inspection on Aug. 15

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

10 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Raw Philly meat over french fries.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Roast beef 61f, Cheese 54f, Beef 52f, Chicken 56f. Less than 4 hours. Advised to rapid chill. Manager placed in walk in cooler. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Ola Spanish Tapas Restaurant

134 W. Ruby St., Tavares

Routine Inspection on Aug. 17

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

14 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shell eggs stored over ready to eat foods. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. - Hand sanitizer stored on prep table next to food.

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet.

Panera Bread #3323

1181 Main St., Lady Lake

Routine Inspection on Aug. 15

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

2 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. 0 ppm. **Warning**

Papa Murphy's Pizza

18965 U.S. 441, Mount Dora

Routine Inspection on Aug. 18

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

7 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. -Manager

  • High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. -manager

Subway #17927

18870 U.S. 441, Mount Dora

Complaint Inspection on Aug. 16

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

8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Meatballs in sauce 99°. Hot holding unit wasn't turned on Operator reheated new temperature 171° **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. -3 spray bottles of cleaner hanging on shelf above 3 compartment sink. **Corrected On-Site**

The Great Pizza Co

23 E. Magnolia, Eustis

Routine Inspection on Aug. 14

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

12 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Paint stored under pizza oven.

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 Daily Commercial: Leesburg area restaurant and food truck inspections: Aug. 14-20, 2023