Workers didn’t wash after bathroom use, bugs in liquor at Wichita KS restaurants
Employees who failed to wash their hands after using the bathroom or touching their faces, dead bugs in liquor bottles, old beef, a business operating without hot water, missing food labels and more are among violations state inspectors discovered during recent food safety and lodging inspections in the Wichita area.
Each week, The Eagle adds to its searchable database of failed inspections from Sedgwick County. Ten restaurants, hotels and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations Feb. 8-14.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at more than 80 other locations deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules.
Kansas Department of Agriculture inspections are meant to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and other health risks. Locations can fail if they have too many problems, certain types of violations or issues that can’t be fixed right away.
Violations are common. Most of the time, they’re corrected in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately include serving food that’s more than a week old, employees mishandling ingredients and dirty kitchens. Issues that may take longer to correct include pest infestations, power outages and plumbing problems.
It’s rare, but a business may be temporarily shut down over violations.
Places that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.
The list in this report was compiled on Feb. 18 using information available from the state on that date. It covers Sedgwick County only.
But you can search food safety and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Out-of-compliance inspections
Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 3409 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Seven violations on Feb. 12 during a complaint inspection. Broccoli and Sugo sauce were not kept cold enough, dead bugs in liquor bottles, no cook-chill temperature logs available, raw eggs stored above ground beef in walk-in cooler, Marsala sauces and hot lemon butter were not kept hot enough, corroded or leaking dual check valve on soda fountain, lasagna not kept cold enough in reach-in cooler. Next inspection: Feb. 22.
Chester’s Chophouse & Wine Bar, 1550 N. Webb in Wichita — Thirteen violations on Feb. 12 during a routine inspection. No written procedures for handling sauces, butter left out at room temperature, dead bugs in liquor bottles, chicken and sliced tomatoes were not kept cold enough, employee touched face and hair then handled clean container without washing hands, raw eggs stored on top of whipping cream in walk-in cooler, employee touched ready-to-eat shredded cheese with bare hands, dirty food thermometer, no paper towels at hand-washing sinks, employee left restroom and handled clean knives without washing hands, no written vomiting or diarrheal cleanup plan, no soap at kitchen sink, cooked meatballs not kept hot enough in steam table, time that butter and sherry sauce were removed from temperature control was not recorded. Next inspection: Feb. 22.
China King, 4100 E. Harry, Suite 52 in Wichita — Eight violations on Feb. 10 during a routine inspection. Tofu and chicken were not kept cold enough, home-use insecticide was stored below three-compartment sink, raw shrimp and raw chicken stored above ready-to-eat sauces, raw beef and raw chicken stored above raw shrimp, sanitizing wipes were stored on refrigerated preparation table, employee washed hands in three-compartment sink instead of dedicated hand-washing sink, no written vomiting or diarrheal cleanup plan, expired license posted. Next inspection: Feb. 20.
Economy Hotel Plus Wichita, 5805 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Four violations on Feb. 12 during a follow-up inspection. Microwave in one room does not work, climate control units in several rooms do not work, no hot water in several rooms, one-inch gap along window in one room. Next inspection: March 12.
Family Mart, 1545 S. Meridian in Wichita — Eight violations on Feb. 10 during a routine inspection. Several packets of expired medications were for sale, no bleach sanitizer test strips available, no paper towels at restroom and backroom hand-washing sinks, water at three-vat sink was not hot enough, no written vomiting or diarrheal cleanup plan, no hot water in store, store did not cease operations and notify the Kansas Department of Agriculture of imminent health hazard of having no hot water, water not hot enough at restroom sink and at hand-washing sink next to three-vat sink. Next inspection: Feb. 20.
Jimmy John’s, 7325 W. Taft, Suite 108 in Wichita — Four violations on Feb. 10 during a complaint inspection. Employee left bathroom and made sandwich without washing hands, employee handled money and scratched face then made sandwich without washing hands, employee rubbed face and head then scooped ice without washing hands, no written vomiting or diarrheal cleanup plan, employee touched bread after using bathroom but didn’t wash hands. Next inspection: Feb. 20.
Rajadhani Indian Cuisine, 4510 E. 19th St., Suite 108 in Wichita — Ten violations on Feb. 12 during a complaint inspection. Cooked meats and shrimp were not labeled with their preparation dates, employee touched dirty dishes then handled clean dishes without washing hands, food allergen and ingredient labels were missing from drinks, dishes weren’t sanitized, sprouts and raita were not kept cold enough, drinks were missing common name and other labeling information, digital probe thermometer was not calibrated correctly. Next inspection: Feb. 22.
Rene’s Mexican Restaurant, 220 S. West St. in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 13 during a follow-up inspection. No food probe thermometer on site, old shredded beef. Next inspection: April 13.
Umi Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, 11233 E. 13th St. in Wichita — Twelve violations on Feb. 11 during a routine inspection. Raw tuna was thawing in intact vacuum packaging, garlic in oil and cooked rice not kept cold enough, water not hot enough at hand-washing sink, raw eggs not kept cold enough, dead bugs in liquor bottles, sushi rice was not labeled with its preparation time, fly strips stored above food preparation and clean dish area, no sanitizer in dish machine, employee washed dishes but didn’t sanitize them, no paper towels at bar and kitchen hand-washing sinks, no food probe thermometer available, employee used hand-washing sink as a dump sink, raw tuna stored above cooked eel. Next inspection: Feb. 21.
Yoder Meats, 375 S. Maize Road in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 13 during a routine inspection. Cold water knob at hand-washing sink does not work, missing records related to vacuum-packaged meats and cheese. Next inspection: Feb. 23.
Where to complain
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 complaint at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event where food was served, 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 www.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
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.
The violation summaries were compiled and drafted with the help of AI tools. They were fact-checked for accuracy and edited by Wichita Eagle journalists.
