Wichita inspections: Drain flies, cockroaches, moldy cheese, grease and grime, trash
Two local schools, a hotel, a bakery, a food truck and 13 restaurants failed their Kansas Department of Agriculture food safety and lodging inspections last week. Their violations include cockroach and mice infestations, hundreds of drain flies, problems with plumbing and water not getting hot enough at hand-washing sinks, a leaky air vent, unlabeled chemicals, moldy and old foods and piles of boxes and trash that could attract pests, a check of Sedgwick County’s non-compliant inspections from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4 shows.
One business also got cited for letting grease and grime build up on kitchen equipment, along floors and baseboards, some of which was described by inspectors as being “black and sticky,” according to the reports.
Another had a black mildew-like substance in its ice bin, the reports show.
A list of the 18 non-compliant businesses, compiled Sept. 9, appears below and online in our database 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 50 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, such as 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:
6 Degrees Wichita, 222 N. Washington in Wichita — Eight violations for heavy grease and food buildup on fryer baskets, grime buildup on kitchen equipment, no soap or paper towels at sinks, around 200 drain flies around floor drains, black and sticky grime buildup along floors and baseboards around bar which can attract pests, heavy black buildup of grime around sinks. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 13.
Avi Seabar & Chophouse, 135 N. Waco in Wichita — Twelve violations for employee not washing hands after touching dirty dishes, moldy cheese, improper food storage, employee touching raw then ready-to-eat foods without washing hands, food including onions and peppers stored at unsafe temperatures, old food including baked beans and cheese, menu doesn’t specifically warn of the risks of eating undercooked beef and eggs, broken equipment, no equipment to test strength of sanitizer used in washing machine, dirty equipment, mop sink is blocked and won’t drain, no paper towels at sink. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 10.
Baymont Inn & Suites, 12111 E. Central Ave. in Wichita — Seven violations for gravy and milk not marked with opening dates, foods including milk and yogurt stored at unsafe temperatures, waffle mix wasn’t marked with preparation time, unknown how hot rinse on dishwasher is, no equipment to test strength of sanitizer, unlabeled chemical bottles, one chemical bottle had nozzle pointed toward food. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 10.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, 535 S. Ridge Road Circle in Wichita — Twelve violations for employee not washing hands after touching raw fish, problems with sanitizer, food including casserole and noodles stored at unsafe temperatures, Alfredo sauce not marked with preparation date, whipped cream can not marked with opening date, old red beans, dirty equipment, water at bathroom sink didn’t get hot enough, no paper towels at sink, trash and boxes piled in storage area which can attract pests, sanitizer stored by croutons. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 10.
Doc Green’s Gourmet Salads & Grill, 2307 N. Rock Rd. #1500 in Derby — Nine violations for using the wrong concentration of sanitizer, food at unsafe temperatures including macaroni-and-cheese and meats, dairy products stored at unsafe temperatures, creamed corn not marked with preparation date, dirty containers, no hot water in women’s bathroom, no paper towels at sink, bottle of degreaser hanging over can opener. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 11.
El Guero No. 4, 1560 S. Main St. in Wichita — Two violations for red liquid soiling packages of cheese, food stored at unsafe temperatures. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 10.
El Maguey, 1221 N. Rock Rd. in Derby — Eleven violations for employee not washing hands after touching dirty dishes, chocolate milk and gallon of milk not marked with opening dates, food including salsa and meat stored at unsafe temperatures, food including salsa and rellenos not marked with preparation dates, no equipment to test strength of sanitizer, black mildew-like substance inside ice bin, water not hot enough at sink, no paper towels at sink, unlabeled chemical bottle. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 11.
Firehouse Subs, 446 S. Ridge Rd. Ste. 200 in Wichita — Two violations for storing foods including cheese and chicken at unsafe temperatures, no hot water in men’s bathroom. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 9.
Harry Street China King, 4100 E. Harry St. #52 in Wichita — Three violations for storing food including chicken at unsafe temperatures, containers of shrimp and other meats not marked with preparation date, fried chicken stored in cardboard box that isn’t food-grade. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Nov. 2.
Juarez Bakery, 1068 N. Waco in Wichita — At least eight violations for employees storing personal drinks by customer food, no shields protecting baked goods from coughs or sneezes, some items weren’t labeled with ingredients or allergen information or warnings, business is using aluminum cans and handmade cutters to cut dough, damaged and broken equipment, no equipment to measure strength of sanitizer, dirty mixers. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 10.
Little Caesars Pizza, 1444 N. Maize Rd. Ste. 100 in Wichita — Five violations for employee not washing hands, employee with long artificial nails was touching pizza dough, unbaked pizzas left out at room temperature and without being marked with their preparation time, “significant leak coming from the air vents” in the back that had filled three large buckets with water. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 12.
Maize South Elementary School, 3404 N. Maize Rd. in Wichita — One violation for water not getting hot enough at kitchen, dish area and bathroom sinks. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 11.
Mami Tere’s Mexican Kitchen, 3088 W. 13th St. in Wichita — Two violations for storing food including cooked rice and refried beans at unsafe temperatures, no equipment to test strength of sanitizer. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 14.
Marineros Seafood (mobile unit), 2217 N. Mascot in Wichita — Seven violations for employee not washing hands, wiping cloths lying around but not stored in sanitizer solution, foods including produce and dairy items stored at unsafe temperatures, broken food thermometer, not sanitizing containers, blocked sink, no paper towels at sink. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 8.
Schlotzsky’s Deli, 2692 N. Greenwich in Wichita — Five violations for storing food including eggs and turkey at unsafe temperatures, dirty tomato slicer, water not hot enough at sinks, dead spiders and live cockroach stuck to glue trap, dead mouse and dead cockroach on glue trap. Follow-up inspection set for Sept. 9.
Tacos Porfias, 344 W. 29th St. N. in Wichita — Two violations for a plumbing issue, cockroaches. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Nov. 2.
Valley Center Intermediate School, 737 N. Meridian in Valley Center — One violation for ice buildup underneath cooler fan and standing water on floor. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 10.
Winchell’s Donut House, 1205 W. Pawnee in Wichita — Ten violations for improper food storage, raw meat stored in contact with cooked meat, foods including meat and cream cheese not marked with opening date, doughnut hole packages not labeled with ingredient contents or allergen information, no food thermometer in building, dirty deli slicer and rolling pin, no toilet paper in bathroom, unlabeled soap bottle. Follow-up inspection scheduled for Sept. 9.
This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 11:19 AM.
