6 Lake County restaurants cited for high-priority violations
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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 Lake County restaurant inspections site.
Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Lake County for the week of Dec. 18-24, 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 Dec. 18-24 inspections and no violations were found.
Alfee's Grill, 989 U.S. 27/441, Lady Lake**
Coastal Del Mar Seafood Grill, 990 Del Mar Drive, Lady Lake**
Lakeside West Dining Room, 821 Lake Port Blvd., Leesburg**
Main Dining Kitchen, 800 Lake Port Blvd., Leesburg**
** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week
Which Lake County restaurants had high priority violations?
Brisas Del Mar Mexican Restaurant and Grill Inc
360 U.S. 441 South, Lady Lake
Routine Inspection on Dec. 19
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
15 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shrimp over cooked chicken. **Warning**
High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. -1 live on wall by handsink in warewash. -1 live on wall behind dish machine. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
I Bar B Que Express Inc.
3170 U.S. 441/27, Fruitland Park
Routine Inspection on Dec. 21
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
9 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations
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. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Potato salad 60f, Coleslaw 61f. Less than 4 hours. Advised to rapid chill. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**
Legends Cafe
3323 U.S. 441/27, Fruitland Park
Food-Licensing Inspection Inspection on Dec. 21
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
5 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation
High Priority - Establishment operating without a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator must obtain a public food service license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within 60 days. Submit a license application and payment to DBPR/Bureau of Central Intake Unit, 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783. To apply online or obtain an application for license visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ **Warning**
Palermo Pizza and Italian Restaurant
24929 CR 42, Paisley
Routine Inspection on Dec. 22
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
9 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations
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**
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. -Raw Philly meat over noodles. -Raw beef over lasagna. **Corrected On-Site**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. -Windex over mixer chute.
Pizzanos Pizza & Grinderz
1740 U.S. 27, Clermont
Routine Inspection on Dec. 20
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
18 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation
High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. -operator touched register then failed to wash his hands prior to beginning food preparation, inspector educated operator, operator washed hands **Corrected On-Site**
Root & Branch Bistro & Bar
1200 Oakley Seaver Drive, Clermont
Routine Inspection on Dec. 20
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
33 total violations, with 8 high-priority violations
High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. cooked potatoes (45F - Cooling); **Warning**
High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Lemon juicer rinsed in hand sink not sanitized **Warning**
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef stored over cooked pork belly in walk in cooler. **Warning**
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Fresh roasted garlic with mayo dated 12/7 **Warning**
High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. 1 live roach in kitchen **Warning**
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. cooked potatoes (45F - Cooling); Fresh roasted garlic with mayo dated 12/7 **Warning**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Per operator less than 4 hours. Moved to quick chill mayo and garlic sauce (57F - Cold Holding) **Warning**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray chemical hanging next oil **Warning**
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/food truck inspections: Dec. 18-24, 2023
