Wichita inspections: Mouse droppings, pest-attracting floor grime, old chicken salad
Five local restaurants, a water park and a Veterans of Foreign Wars post failed their Kansas Department of Agriculture food safety inspections last week. Their violations include having old foods in their refrigerators such as chicken salad and corned beef, dirty equipment, no hot water at hand-washing sinks and storing foods at temperatures prime for bacteria growth, a check of Sedgwick County’s non-compliant inspections from June 27 to July 3 shows.
Some of the businesses also had pest problems — mice in particular. Others were warned about greasy buildup and other grime on their floors, which can draw nuisance insects such as cockroaches.
At one business, an inspector found bugs floating in a bottle of Canadian Mist.
A list of the seven local non-compliant businesses, compiled July 8, appears below with a summary of the problems inspectors noted on their reports. More information, including specific violation descriptions and inspection dates, is posted in The Eagle’s searchable, non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspection database at www.kansas.com/databases.
More than 30 businesses surveyed last week passed their inspections with few or no violations. You can see those at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Failing an inspection doesn’t necessarily mean a business has to close; that’s rare. Most violations are minor and are immediately corrected on site. Businesses fall out of compliance with state rules when they have too many violations or certain types of problems that may increase the risk of a customer contracting a food-borne illness, or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, like plumbing issues and pest infestations.
When a business fails, it’s usually inspected again within 10 days.
To complain about conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767.
Recent out-of-compliance inspections:
El Papa Pollo Restaurant, 808 W. 25th St. North in Wichita — Six violations for storing cooked spatchcocked chickens in a camping-style cooler with a broken lid at a temperature that is considered unsafe, refrigerated salsa and side dishes were too warm, chicken wings were stored at unsafe temperatures and had to be thrown out, churros weren’t labeled with ingredient or allergen information, no hot water at hand-washing sink, “approximately ten small rodent droppings in the cabinet below the service area three compartment sink, and approximately five small rodent droppings in the cabinet across from the sink.” Follow-up inspection scheduled for July 11.
Firehouse Subs, 2755 N. Maize Road Ste. 111 in Wichita — Seven violations for refrigerated lettuce and tomatoes not being kept cold enough, chipped and broken containers, no hot water at kitchen and bathroom sinks, one sink is blocked by containers and an ice bucket, no hand-drying supplies in men’s bathroom, kitchen storage area is cluttered and the floor in front of a sink is dirty, chemical bottle not labeled with content’s common name. Follow-up inspection set for July 8.
Fizz Burgers and Bottles, 7718 E. 37th St. North Ste. 100 in Wichita — Thirteen violations for not cooling-off par-cooked French fries and sweet potato fries quickly enough that they could be served to customers safely, sauteed onions weren’t kept warm enough, refrigerated sauces and meats weren’t cold enough, dairy foods and produce weren’t cold enough, gallon of milk wasn’t marked with opening date, old chicken salad and corned beef, old sauerkraut and pasta salad, dirty containers and equipment were stored as clean, water at hand-washing sinks didn’t get hot enough, hand-washing sink was unusable because it was filled with linens, no soap or hand-drying supplies at sink, “large amount of dust and debris buildup on the walk in cooler vent,” unlabeled chemicals. Follow-up inspection scheduled for July 11.
Little Busters Sport Bar & Grill, 457 N. Baltimore Ave. in Derby — Eight violations for hamburger chub and dairy foods stored at unsafe temperatures, noodles and cocktail sauce weren’t cold enough in cooler, raw eggs were too warm, old cocktail sauce, no food thermometer in restaurant, dirty meat slicer, greasy floor that can attract pests, “hundreds of small rodent droppings in the kitchen and basement storage areas.” Follow-up inspection set for July 10.
Rock River Rapids, 1900 E. James in Derby — Four violations for not having hot water or soap at sinks, no hand-drying supplies at sink, facility was storing bottle of insecticide that is labeled for home-use only. Follow-up inspection set for July 10.
Schlotzsky’s, 1334 W. Pawnee in Wichita — Four violations for leaky part on sink, “no air gap or dual check valve with an intermediate vent supplied upstream from the carbonating device,” no hand-drying supplies at sink, bottle of disinfectant stored above food baskets. Follow-up inspection scheduled for July 12.
VFW Post #7253, 101 S. Baltimore in Derby — Five violations for bugs in bottle of Canadian Mist whiskey, meats and side dishes not marked with preparation dates or dates they were thawed, no consumer advisory posted warning customers of risk of eating undercooked steak, “approximately thirty small rodent droppings in one of the bar storage cabinets and approximately fifty small rodent droppings and nesting material in the storage cabinet outside the walk in cooler,” greasy and dirty kitchen floors that can attract pests. Follow-up inspection set for July 9.
This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 4:21 AM.
