Following Polk, restaurants failed to meet standards Feb. 13-19

Five restaurants were handed administrative complaints, typically an indication of repeat offenses. Many, but not all, of the repeat offenses were clerical in nature, such as failing to show proof of employee training or manager certification. But some were for issues of cleanliness that weren’t corrected.

• Longhorn Steakhouse, 3737 Lakeside Village, Lakeland: The restaurant had an initial inspection on Feb. 15 that resulted in 17 violations, the largest number of violations during the week. Four were a high priority. Of the high-priority violations, the inspector noted three live flies in the bar area and 15 roach droppings next to a cooler on the cook line. The inspector also observed an employee drink from a container, then return to the cook line and handle food without washing their hands, and hot butter and garlic butter stored at less than 135 degrees. The restaurant’s intermediate violations were for a manager who wasn’t certified within 30 days of hire and a failure to provide an acknowledgment that employees received information on reporting illnesses. Several basic violations were for general issues of cleanliness, such as food debris under the cook line and on cooler gaskets, bread tongs stored on a bread basket handle, other in-use utensils stored in water less than 135 degrees, and an employee’s personal food not properly labeled and stored away from food served to the public. Warnings were issued on this visit.

In a follow-up inspection the next day, five violations had not been corrected. The inspector still noted live flies in the bar and one live roach above a doorway. The manager took immediate action. And the restaurant was cited again for the lack of manager certification and acknowledgment of employee training. An administrative complaint was issued and a follow-up inspection is required.

• El Oriental Venezolano, 117 Us Hwy 17-92, Haines City: The restaurant received only one violation in a Feb. 17 inspection, which was a follow-up to a Nov. 4 inspection. The only repeat violation was an employee was cooking without training.
• El Baron, 910 N Scenic Hwy, Babson Park: On Feb. 17, the restaurant had a follow-up inspection stemming from three violations found on Dec. 14. Two repeat violations were found: Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license, and water with a temperature of at least 100 degrees was not provided at the employee hand wash sink.
• Moe’s Southwest Grill, 1326 Town Center Drive, Lakeland: On Feb. 15, in a follow-up stemming from a Dec. 16 inspection, the restaurant was cited for eight violations, most of them related to issues of cleanliness such as food debris, standing water and grease. The repeat offense that generated the administrative complaint was the manager not being certified.
• Chipotle 1499, 3434 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland: On Feb. 15, the restaurant was cited for one violation that hadn’t been corrected from a Dec. 16 inspection: Plans hadn’t been submitted for renovations to the kitchen and storage areas.