Cockroaches on pans. Botulism risk. Flies. Filth. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Amy Renee Leiker
·12 min read

Eleven businesses in Wichita and Derby were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week.

They were cited over a number of issues, including fruit flies, fish thawing practices that increase the risk of dangerous bacteria forming, filthy and greasy kitchen conditions, contamination hazards, several foods that weren’t stored at safe temperatures, bottles of chemicals that weren’t labeled and more, according to inspection reports.

A cockroach infestation at one restaurant was so bad that it shut down for a few days to deep clean the filth attracting them. Some bugs were still there when the business reopened, an inspector found.

Information about the food establishments and a summary of their violations appear below. The list includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from May 12-18. It was compiled on May 22.

More than 50 establishments passed inspections during that same time. They also appear below. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.

Business owners or managers can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com to comment on inspection results that appear in this story.

More details about inspections are in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.

Out-of-compliance inspections

AMC Northrock 14, 3151 N. Penstemon in Wichita — One violation on May 13 during a routine inspection. The dish machine in the bar area didn’t have any sanitizer flowing to it. Next inspection: May 23.

Amore Italian Restaurant, 1221 N. Rock Road, Suite 300 in Derby — Ten violations on May 15 during its first operational inspection after licensing. The restaurant was storing a container of lemons in direct contact with ice used for customers’ drinks, sliced tomatoes and an egg item weren’t labeled with their preparation dates or had the wrong dates, no probe-style food thermometer on site, pans in clean storage were soiled with food debris, raw calamari was stored above packages of cooked chicken patties, salmon was thawing in intact vacuum packaging which can increase the risk of botulism forming, cooked meat sauce was cooling at room temperature, test strips for chlorine sanitizer didn’t work due to water damage, grilled chicken and creamy red sauce weren’t kept hot enough in steam wells, the restaurant was thawing frozen meatballs at room temperature instead of in a refrigerator. Next inspection: May 25.

Asia Bazaar Grocery & Cafe, 6100 E. 21st St., Suite 300 in Wichita — Five violations on May 13 during a routine inspection. There was visible food residue on the blade of a meat saw that hadn’t been used in at least a day, no probe-style food thermometer on site, dented can of condensed milk, raw chicken legs were stored above containers of marinated goat and beef in a cooler, several foods including samosas and containers of lamb and rice weren’t kept hot enough in a display warmer. Next inspection: May 23.

Emperor’s Japanese Grill, 7825 W. Maple in Wichita — Nine violations on May 13 during an expired license inspection. A bag of carrots was stored directly on the floor and a package of beef was on a sheet tray sitting on the ground, no test strips to measure concentration of chlorine sanitizer, buildup of grease and debris on table legs in food preparation area, restaurant was using greasy cardboard “as a table cloth” between pots and a table, imitation crab was thawing in a bowl of standing water instead of under running water, a bucket holding white towels didn’t have a measurable amount of chlorine sanitizer in it, raw beef was stored over a container of garlic sauce in cooler, a scoop was stored in a bin with its handle in direct contact with corn starch, large buildup of grease on power and gas supply and other equipment near a flattop grill and the fire suppression system above the flattop was covered in grease and debris, no tongs for lemons at the self-serve drink station. The restaurant agreed to voluntarily close until the state receives a payment to renew its license, the inspection report says. Next inspection: May 23.

Family Dollar, 1330 N. Oliver in Wichita — One violation on May 15 during a follow-up inspection. No hot water anywhere in the building. Next inspection: May 25.

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 410 N. Hillside, Suite 600 in Wichita — Four violations on May 14 during a follow-up inspection. Raw shrimp and raw eggs were stored above vegetables and sauces in a cooler, cooked chicken was sitting out at room temperature above wok station and on a preparation table, raw meat was stored in T-shirt style to-go bags instead of food-grade containers. Next inspection: July 14.

Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza, 4817 E. Douglas in Wichita — Four violations on May 17 during a routine inspection. Several cheeses and milk weren’t cold enough in refrigeration, sauces and pasta in refrigeration didn’t cool down to the required temperatures within six hours, gallon of milk and carton of heavy whipping cream weren’t labeled with the dates the packages were opened, “30-40 fruit flies” around the mop sink and back storage room. Next inspection: May 27.

Noble House Hawaiian Plate Lunch Food Truck (mobile vendor/food truck), 2119 W. 21st St. in Wichita — Four violations on May 16 during a routine inspection. Foods including pasta salad and cooked shrimp weren’t labeled with the time they were removed from refrigeration, the food truck didn’t have water under pressure so employees had to set up a temporary hand-washing station, the food truck sells several items that can be left out of temperature control for up to four hours but has no written procedure on site that specifies its methods for complying with the state’s food code even though it is required, no probe-style food thermometer. Next inspection: May 26.

Pho Ong 8, 3801 E. Harry in Wichita — Seven violations on May 16 during a routine inspection. The restaurant didn’t label a container of boba tea with the time it had to be discarded, there were no procedures available detailing how the restaurant handles its boba tea which it doesn’t keep temperature controlled, containers of beef bone soup didn’t cool down quickly enough in refrigeration, pork egg rolls weren’t warm enough in hot holding, spring rolls were sitting at room temperature instead of in refrigeration, a bag of cooked noodles wasn’t labeled with their preparation date, spray bottles of bleach and sanitizer weren’t labeled. Next inspection: May 26.

Saigon Oriental Restaurant, 1103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Seven violations on May 15 during a follow-up inspection and one violation on May 17 during a reopening inspection. During the May 15 inspection, the restaurant was cited because there were at least two dozen dead cockroaches throughout the building which can attract more bugs, the restaurant didn’t close and notify the department of agriculture about “the imminent health hazard of cockroach infestation affecting food contact surfaces,” there were cockroaches under coolers and a chest freezer and on a preparation table shelf in a storage area and also under the wok station in the kitchen, cockroaches were crawling in a stack of clean pans and by clean plates, accumulation of grease and food behind the wok station, cockroaches were entering the restaurant through a hole in the wall, living and dead cockroaches were seen in stacks of hotel pans, the restaurant’s pest control measures weren’t effective, food and grease deposits in kitchen were attracting roaches and needed to be cleaned. The restaurant voluntarily closed on May 15 due to the cockroach problem. When the restaurant reopened two days later, it was still out of compliance because an inspector found living cockroaches underneath a reach-in cooler and a freezer and under the wok station in the kitchen, as well as clusters of two or three dozen cockroaches between a backsplash and a wall behind the wok station. The inspector noted that during the time the restaurant was closed, its staff deep cleaned underneath and behind all equipment and removed food debris and harborage conditions. “No pest activity was observed in or near clean wares storage or food contact surfaces. Inspector recommended deep cleaning behind wok station, removing live clusters of cockroaches and applying degreaser to back wall, as well as cleaning remaining food debris directly behind wok station.” Next inspection: May 27.

Tru by Hilton Wichita Northeast Hotel, 1236 N. Greenwich in Wichita — Five violations on May 13 during a routine inspection. Apples on the breakfast buffet weren’t individually wrapped to protect them from contamination, containers of cream cheese spread weren’t refrigerated, no thermometer on site to check food temperatures, spray bottle of liquid air freshener was stored above clean dishes, the final rinse on the hotel’s high-temperature dishwashing machine didn’t get hot enough to sanitize dishes. Next inspection: May 23.

Blood leaking on bag of ham. Moldy cheese. No sanitizer. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Ants on dessert sauces. Mystery food. Dented cans. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Cockroaches by meat slicer. Old olives. Dirty pans. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

How do businesses fail health inspections?

Most violations are minor and are corrected during an inspection.

Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, such as bug and rodent infestations. Typically, establishments are re-inspected within 10 days.

It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection. But it can happen due to things like sewage backups, pest problems, and water or power outages. Usually, closures are temporary.

You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

Want to complain? Here’s where to do it

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

These businesses passed inspections last week

  • AFC Sushi at Dillons, 9450 E. Harry in Wichita

  • AFC Sushi at Dillons, 13415 W. Maple in Wichita

  • Albero Bistro, 2684 N. Greenwich, Suite 600 in Wichita

  • Anahuac Tortilleria & Restaurant, 2792 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Aramark Services at Textron Aviation Cafe 10, 2121 S. Hoover in Wichita

  • Bakers Haus, 8641 W. 13th St., Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Best Western Governors Inn & Suites, 4742 S. Emporia in Wichita

  • The Big Nerd (mobile vendor/food truck), 511 N. Second St. in Mulvane

  • Casey’s Bar & Grill, 3207 S. Oliver in Wichita

  • Chili’s Grill & Bar, 10520 W. Central in Wichita

  • China Star Super Buffet, 5825 W. Central in Wichita

  • Corner Market, 1250 S. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Dillons, 1203 N. Second St. in Mulvane

  • Dillons, 3211 S. Seneca in Wichita

  • Domino’s Pizza, 2100 N. Rock Road, Suite 600 in Derby

  • Don Taco Stop Mexican Fast Food, 1659 S. Broadway in Wichita

  • Eberly Farm, 13111 W. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Elderslie Farm, 3501 E. 101st St. North in Kechi

  • Envoy Air at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, 2277 S. Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 102 in Wichita

  • Fat Ernie’s Family Dining, 2806 S. Hydraulic in Wichita

  • Halagains, 501 N. Main in Garden Plain

  • House of Schwan, 3636 N. Comotara in Wichita

  • HTeaO Wichita East, 12930 E. 21st St. in Wichita

  • Icee Food Storage Warehouse, 3601 W. Harry, Suite 6 in Wichita

  • In The Air Smokes & Snacks, 1419 1/2 E. Central in Wichita

  • Jack’s North Hi Donuts, 603 W. 13th St. in Wichita

  • Jaliscos Taqueria (mobile vendor/food truck), 3108 E. Edwards in Wichita

  • Jane’s Landing, 1002 N. Second St. in Mulvane

  • Jason’s Deli, 1821 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Jersey Mike’s Subs, 2616 N. Maize Road, Suite 100 in Wichita

  • Kimchi Korean Restaurant, 2929 N. Rock Road, Suite 150 in Wichita

  • Kwik Shop, 200 W. Patriot in Derby

  • Lava & Tonic, 1716 E. Douglas in Wichita

  • Mi Mexico Lindo Market, 2652 N. Arkansas in Wichita

  • Mize’s Thriftway, 449 N. Fourth St. in Clearwater

  • On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 2347 N. Maize Road in Wichita

  • Palmer’s Snack Bar at Bud Palmer Auction, 101 W. 29th St. North in Wichita

  • Passage to India, 6100 E. 21st St., Suite 180 in Wichita

  • Pete’s Smoke, Cigar & Vapor, 305 S. Greenwich in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at the Atlas Group Building 4420, 4420 W. May in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at the Atlas Group, 4425 W. May in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at the Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County, 1211 S. Emporia in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Chrome Plus, 3939 W. 29th St. South in Wichita

  • Premier Food Service at Farmland Foods, 2323 S. Sheridan in Wichita

  • Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 3131 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Power Jack, 1001 N. Grove in Wichita

  • Ray Sales Company, 206 S. Emporia in Wichita

  • Rise Farms, 320 S. Market in Wichita

  • Sonic Drive-In, 107 N. Rock Road in Derby

  • Southrock Billiards & Sports Bar, 2020 S. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Spangles, 6411 E. Central in Wichita

  • Sweet Pop’s, 2130 N. Tyler Road, Suite 80 in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 1659 S. Webb in Wichita

  • Taco Bell, 2230 N. Rock Road in Wichita

  • Thai Riffic Food Truck (mobile vendor/food truck), 507 E. Twisted Oak in Derby

  • United Airlines at Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, 2277 S. Eisenhower Airport Parkway in Wichita

  • Wal-Mart, 2020 N. Nelson Drive in Derby

  • Wasabi II, 3242 N. Rock Road, Suite 112 in Wichita

  • Wok Hey Asian Cuisine, 1444 N. Maize Road, Suite 600 in Wichita

Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.

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