13 Lee County restaurants, food trucks get perfect scores; 19 fail inspection

Staff reports
·17 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 Lee County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Lee County, Florida, for the week of Feb. 12-18, 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 Lee County restaurant inspection site.

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

These restaurants met all standards during their Feb. 12-18 inspections and no violations were found.

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

Which Lee County restaurants had high priority violations?

Cava

16441 Corporate Commerce Way #100, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 14

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

4 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold holding drop in coolers front line:; cooked chickpeas hummus (47F - Cold Holding); cooked egg plant (45F - Cold Holding); cooked onion pickles (44F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) per operator for 2 hours. Clear lettuce display reach-in cooler :; cooked rice (47F - Cold Holding); cut lettuce (50F - Cold Holding) for 2 hours per operator. Provided operator with time as a public health control form and explained proper use. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot holding cabinet prep line:; cooked chicken bottom left (125F - Hot Holding); cooked chicken bottom middle (119F - Hot Holding) for 90 minutes per operator. Operator removed chicken to grill for rapid reheating. In 5 minutes, new temperature reached 188F. round black hot holding wells on front line:; cooked chicken (111F - Hot Holding); cooked sweet potatoes (93F - Hot Holding); cooked chickpeas falafel (98F - Hot Holding) per operator placed in hot holding for one hour. Operator reheated all items on grill rapidly, measured temperature all 165F or above. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**

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

Cava

16441 Corporate Commerce Way #100, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 16

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

4 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold holding drop in coolers front line:; cooked chickpeas hummus (47F - Cold Holding); cooked egg plant (45F - Cold Holding); cooked onion pickles (44F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding) per operator for 2 hours. Clear lettuce display reach-in cooler :; cooked rice (47F - Cold Holding); cut lettuce (50F - Cold Holding) for 2 hours per operator. Provided operator with time as a public health control form and explained proper use. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-16: Cold holding drop in coolers front line:; cooked chickpeas hummus (48F - Cold Holding); cooked egg plant (45F - Cold Holding) feta (45F - Cold Holding) per operator for 25 minutes. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot holding cabinet prep line:; cooked chicken bottom left (125F - Hot Holding); cooked chicken bottom middle (119F - Hot Holding) for 90 minutes per operator. Operator removed chicken to grill for rapid reheating. In 5 minutes, new temperature reached 188F. round black hot holding wells on front line:; cooked chicken (111F - Hot Holding); cooked sweet potatoes (93F - Hot Holding); cooked chickpeas falafel (98F - Hot Holding) per operator placed in hot holding for one hour. Operator reheated all items on grill rapidly, measured temperature all 165F or above. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-16: Hot holding cabinet prep line:; cooked chicken (125F - Hot Holding); cooked rice (113F - Hot Holding) for 45 minutes per operator. round black hot holding wells on front line:; cooked chicken (123F - Hot Holding)for 20 minutes per operator. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Two way splitter added, missing one vacuum breaker. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-16: **Time Extended**

Citrola's on College

8841 College Pkwy Unit 101, Fort Myers

Routine Inspection on Feb. 14

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

12 total violations, with 5 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. Observed employee came to kitchen started working without handwashing. Discussed employee proper handwashing procedures. Employee washed his hands. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Nonfood-grade hose conveying potable water. Observed nonfood- grade hose in use to fill up food containers.

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Observed current license expired on 12/1/2023 **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. chicken stock (57F cold holding); cooked pasta (52F cold holding) items on cook line and server area for less than four hours per operator. Discussed time as a public health control with operator and printed form. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Insect chemical stored between can food and soda boxes in dry storage. Operator removed correct storage. **Corrected On-Site**

Destinations

10561 Veneto Dr, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 15

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 - Raw animal food stored in same container as ready-to-eat food. In walk-in cooler raw fish and seafood stored with cooked mussels in same ice. Operator separated the foods. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook line reach-in cooler left side; cooked French onion soup (60F - Cold Holding). Also tall silver reach-in cooler near dish room; raw beef carpaccio (46F - Cold Holding); blue cheese crumbles (48F - Cold Holding); housemade coleslaw (46F - Cold Holding); cooked shrimp (52F - Cold Holding); bread pudding with cooked egg batter (47F - Cold Holding); butter (46F - Cold Holding). All foods per operator stored for 3 hours after setting up cook line. Operator iced down all foods and placed in walk-in cooler for rapid cooling. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Whole meat roast hot held at less than 130 degrees Fahrenheit. In prep area roast beef (111F - Hot Holding) for one hour under heat lamp. Discussed with operator using time as a public health control and proper roasting/hot holding parameters. Operator time marked roast for 4 hour discard. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**

Doc Fords Rum Bar & Grille

2500 Island Inn Rd, Sanibel

Routine Inspection on Feb. 14

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

1 total violation, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dishwasher not achieving a minimum of 160* F at the surface of the plate after 3 attempts (Temperature 156.9 ); Operator set up Triple Sink (Chlorine 100ppm) **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-14: **Time Extended**

Flip Flops - Pelican Preserve Pool Bar

10561 Veneto Dr, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 15

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

5 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • 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. Observed employee at bar garnishing drinks with citrus using bare hands. Operator instructed employee to wear gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Presence of insects. Observed approximately 30 bees at outside bar in main drink prep area. **Warning**

Hooked Island Grill Fort Myers

9924 Gulf Coast Main St Ste A130, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 14

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

11 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired on 12/1/2023. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In walk-in cooler Raw - ready-to-eat shrimp ceviche over cooked crab meat. Crab cakes contains raw eggs over unwashed vegetables. Raw shrimp over cooked crab. Operator rearranged all items for proper food protection in walk-in cooler.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill side cook line drop in cooler: raw tuna (45F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (46F - Cold Holding); cooked crab (47F - Cold Holding); raw fish (46F - Cold Holding) for three hour 45 minutes per operator. Operator immediately iced down all food, within 15 minutes all potentially hazardous foods at 41F or below. Repeat 7/19/2023 **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Splitter two ways on mop sink, missing one vacuum breaker.

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

6891 Daniels Parkway, Suite 155, Fort Myers

Routine Inspection on Feb. 15

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 - Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. Observed employee touching soiled garbage can, touch clean plates for food, no glove change no handwash in service station. Also observed employees on cook line with gloves in direct contact with raw egg, plate food, no glove change no handwash. Spoke with operator about proper glove usage and handwashing, employees were instructed of proper techniques and wash hands and changed gloves before resuming duties. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has incorrect time marking. Time mark on butter on front line states 7:00, operator states actual time removed was 9:00 and the sticker was not updated. On cook line eggs not marked with time stamp per operator held on time control for 30 minutes. Operator relabeled both items. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**

Leone Italian Food Speciality LLC

916 SE 14th Ave, Cape Coral

Routine Inspection on Feb. 15

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 - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. **Admin Complaint**

Maria's Restaurant

27080 Old Us 41 Rd, Bonita Springs

Routine Inspection on Feb. 14

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

13 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 12/01/23. **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Observed repackaged raw frozen chicken stored on top of packaged raw frozen fish.

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw shell eggs stored over ready to eat sauce in walk in cooler.

Orient Restaurant (The)

308 Del Prado Blvd, Cape Coral

Routine Inspection on Feb. 15

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

11 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. The owner changed out sanitizer bucket. **Corrected On-Site** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw chicken over ready to eat pork wontons in the walk-in cooler. **Warning**

Pirate Hook Seafood and Chicken

4065 Fowler St, Fort Myers

Routine Inspection on Feb. 15

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 - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Observed raw chicken stored above raw fish in reach in cooler in kitchen. Operator moved items for proper storage. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed 9 rodent droppings on top of water heater in water heater closet. Operator cleaned and sanitized area. **Corrected On-Site** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed in walk in cooler raw fish (45F - Cold Holding); raw snapper (46F - Cold Holding); raw chicken (45F - Cold Holding). Operator states door was open for an extended period of time today. **Warning**

Rincon Cubano Of Cape Coral Inc

958 Contry Club Blvd #A, Cape Coral

Routine Inspection on Feb. 14

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

11 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Observed a bottle of Tylenol above prep table. The operator removed the bottle of Tylenol. **Corrected On-Site* **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef over ready to eat pork in walk-in cooler. **Repeat Violation** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed shelled eggs on prep table being held at room temperature. Observed pork (46F - Cold Holding); shredded beef (49F - Cold Holding); rice and beans (48F - Cold Holding); ham (45F - Cold Holding) in walk-in cooler. See Stop Sale. **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed ground beef (101F - Hot Holding); beef (89F - Hot Holding); pork tamales (69F - Hot Holding) in steam table. The cook is reheating all products on stove top. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Rudy's

11902 Bonita Beach Rd Se, Bonita Springs

Routine Inspection on Feb. 16

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

3 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed Swiss cheese 51F cold hold less than 4 hours. Operator turned down reach in cooler. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

Taco Bell #24550

11 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, Cape Coral

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 16

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

4 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed operator place gloves on after changing sanitizer bucket. Educated operator in properly washing hands prior to placing gloves on when changing assignments. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

That Ny Bagel Place

24830 S Tamiami Tr Ste 2100, Bonita Springs

Routine Inspection on Feb. 13

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

11 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Observed a brass splitter with no backflow device on the hose side of the connection. **Warning**

Yummy Yummy Asian Kitchen

21301 S Tamiami Trail 380 E, Estero

Routine Inspection on Feb. 13

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 - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Observed license expired 12-1-23 **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed raw eggs in walk-in cooler stored about cooked rice.

Yums

18731 Three Oaks Parkway, Suite 6, Fort Myers

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 13

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 - 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/. Operator does not currently have a food service license, per operator business was purchased approximately 6 months ago. This is a repeat from 12-07-2023. As a repeat violation the importance of following proper protocol with this violation was reinforced with the operator. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. prepared General Tsao sauce (68 F - Cold Holding), per operator sauce was made 2 hours prior and will be discarded within 4 hours. Operator moved sauce to walk in cooler to properly cool. **Corrective Action Taken**

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 Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Cape area restaurant and food truck inspections Feb. 12-18