Palm Bay Mexican restaurant leads violations for week; 16 fail inspection

Rob Landers, Florida Today
·9 min read
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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 Brevard County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Brevard County, Florida, for the week of Oct. 2-8, 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 Brevard County restaurant inspection site.

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

These restaurants met all standards during their Oct. 2-8 inspections and no violations were found.

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

Which Brevard County restaurants had high priority violations?

America's Best Value Inn

3220 N. Cocoa Blvd., Cocoa

Food-Licensing Inspection Inspection on Oct. 2

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

One total violation, with one high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : 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/ Change of ownership of license has been applied for over 6 months prior. Due to roofing leaking and full construction of kitchen, new license not able to granted at this time. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-02: Location is currently on a warning for need plans submitted and approved. To date no plans have been received at the plan review office in Tallahassee. **Time Extended**

Chaparral Mexican Grill

1341 N. Cocoa Blvd., Cocoa

Follow-up Inspection on Oct. 2

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

Four total violations, with one high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Displayed food not properly protected from contamination. Front area near dining room, expo station to cook tortillas on flat top grill, not adequate protection for area to avoid cross contamination from clients/guests, no food items in this area at the time of the inspection, station closed . **Repeat Violation** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-02: Squeeze guard currently not at a sufficient height to be effective. **Time Extended**

Marina Bay Boutique

217 King St., Cocoa

Follow-up Inspection on Oct. 6

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

Five total violations, with one high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed front line employee apply gloves to fill drink cup with ice without first hand washing before applying gloves. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-09-06: **Time Extended** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-06: Not observed at the time of the callback **Time Extended**

McDonald's Corporation

132 Malabar Rd, Palm Bay

Complaint Inspection on Oct. 5

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

15 total violations, with five 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 ran twice 50 ppm **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee was sweeping floors, the went to grab a cup to pour orange juice, placed lid on the cup without washing hands prior.

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Milk in reach in cooler 62F

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Milk 62F

  • High Priority - Warewashing sanitizing solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed. Over 500 ppm quaternary. Dumped out half of the solution and added water. 200 ppm

Margarita's V&P Mexican Cuisine

1153 Malabar Road N.E. Unit 18-22, Palm Bay

Routine Inspection on Oct. 5

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

23 total violations, with eight 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 rice 48F **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Several beef and chicken over cooked tamales and cut vegetables in the walk in cooler. In white reach in cooler raw chicken, shrimp over tamales. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken over raw beef in the walk in cooler. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Picadillo prepared 9/27 **Warning**

  • High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Cooked shredded beef 9/27 **Warning**

  • High Priority - Server handled soiled dishes or utensils and then picked up plated food, served food, or prepared a beverage without washing hands. Server came into kitchen scrapped plates, then went to front counter and handled clean dishes to portion salsa and chips. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Cooked rice cooling over night 48F **Warning**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. For green hose in the dish washing area. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

Mulberry Lane Cafe

3440 N. Harbor City Blvd., Melbourne

Routine Inspection on Oct. 2

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

Four total violations, with one 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. Tested dish machine 3x, no sanitation. Chef called technician for service. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Taco City 3 Inc

2955 S Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach

Follow-up Inspection on Oct. 3

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

One total violation, with one high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed 12 live flying insects in bar area. Killed all but 5 **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2023-10-03: Observed 8 live flying insects at callback **Time Extended**

Tandoor Fine Indian Cuisine

6300 N Wickham Road No. 122, Melbourne

Routine Inspection on Oct. 6

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

13 total violations, with three high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Displayed food not properly protected from contamination. Buffet items rice pudding and sauces **Warning**

  • High Priority - Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Employee took trash outside with gloves on, came back into kitchen and went to cook line to grab clean dishes with soiled gloves. Had operator educate employee on when to change gloves. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Dough made with milk 81F Chana masala 55F **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 Florida Today: Brevard County restaurant and food truck inspections 16 fail