Vomiting kitchen worker, mice, bugs in milk at Wichita KS restaurants, hotel
An employee working in the kitchen while ill and vomiting, an employee who touched food after tucking in their shirt, dead mice, mouse poop, bugs in milk, food that wasn’t properly labeled, gnats on clean dishes 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. Nine restaurants, hotels and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations Feb. 22-28.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at 40 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 March 4 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
Afghan Halal Market, 1044 S. Oliver in Wichita — Eleven violations on Feb. 27 during a routine inspection. No written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrheal incidents, bag of cornstarch was leaking, sugar-coated almonds had no allergen labels, no test strips for chlorine sanitizer, no sanitizer available, 10 to 15 gnats on clean dishes and around trash area, no designated hand-washing sink in facility, unlabeled chemicals, packaged candies were not labeled properly, sweets for sale were not protected from contamination, sweets and raw meat were in direct contact with non-food-grade bags. Next inspection: March 8.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 3409 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Four violations on Feb. 25 during a follow-up inspection. Employee was working in the kitchen while ill and vomiting, sauce made with heavy cream and tomatoes was not kept cold enough, cooked broccoli was not kept cold enough, raw shrimp was stored above cooked pasta, employee touched bread with bare hands after tucking in their shirt. Next inspection: April 23.
Homewood Suites/Hilton Garden Inn Hotel & Convention Center, 1523 S. Ridge Road in Wichita — Four violations on Feb. 24 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Milk and cream cheese were not kept cold enough on breakfast bar, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrheal incidents, bugs in milk at breakfast bar, several containers of food on breakfast bar weren’t protected from contamination. Next inspection: March 6.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite N03 in Wichita — Three violations on Feb. 26 during a modified complaint inspection. No hot water at hand-washing sink near the soda fountain, hand-washing sink in prep area was blocked by trash cans and cardboard box, unlabeled containers of sanitizer. Next inspection: March 8.
Mi Super Baratisimo, 1989 N. Amidon in Wichita — One violation on Feb. 27 during a follow-up inspection. Several foods including meats and cheeses were not kept cold enough. Next inspection: April 27.
Newk’s Eatery, 10310 E. 13th St., Suite 400 in Wichita — Four violations on Feb. 27 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Soda fountain machine valve was corrosive or leaking or has dark sludge, sour cream was not kept cold enough, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, plastic containers in clean storage had sticker residue on them. Next inspection: March 8.
Pleasant Valley Middle School, 2220 W. 29th St. North in Wichita — One violation on Feb. 27 during a routine inspection. Approximately two dozen fresh mouse droppings were under a linen shelf in the storage room, dead mice on glue trap. Next inspection: March 8.
Taco Shop, 1652 S. Webb in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 25 during a complaint inspection. Diced tomatoes and black olives were not kept cold enough, shredded cheese was not kept cold enough, diced tomatoes weren’t labeled with their preparation date. Next inspection: April 25.
Viola Groceries, 26320 W. K-42 Highway in Viola — Four violations on Feb. 25 during a routine inspection. Sanitizer test strips were not available, no hand-washing sink in or near kitchen and food preparation area, pizza and hot sandwiches were not labeled with the time they were put in hot display case, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrheal incidents. Next inspection: March 7.
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.
