Health Concerns

Health Department Sweeps Through Chinatown

Photo: Alex Rees

Health Department records show that Bayard Street mainstay New Bo Ky was closed after racking up 50 points during an inspection last Friday. Violations include food stored at improper temperatures, live roaches, and “food worker prepares food or handles utensil when ill with a disease transmissible by food, or have exposed infected cut or burn on hand.” The restaurant was still shuttered when we walked by this afternoon, and a call to its Grand Street outpost went unanswered. Two other Chinese restaurants were closed by the DOH on Friday (Golden House in Queens and Sweet Spring on Catherine Street). Earlier in the week, a restaurant at 96 East Broadway was closed with 66 points; Chang Wang at 38A Allen Street was closed with 63 points; and Gao Xin Seafood Restaurant at 31 Division Street was shuttered after racking up an impressive 120 points (that number went down to 21 points during a follow-up inspection on Friday). Inspection results below.

NEW BO KY RESTAURANT
1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Food worker prepares food or handles utensil when ill with a disease transmissible by food, or have exposed infected cut or burn on hand.
3) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
4) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

GOLDEN HOUSE CHINESE RESTAURANT
1) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
2) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
3) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
4) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
5) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
6) Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
7) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

SWEET SPRING RESTAURANT
1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Food worker does not wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, coughing, sneezing, smoking, eating, preparing raw foods or otherwise contaminating hands.
3) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
4) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
5) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
6) Tobacco use, eating, or drinking from open container in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed.
7) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
8) Food contact surface not properly maintained.
9) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

GAO XIN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
1) Shellfish not from approved source, improperly tagged/labeled; tags not retained for 90 days.
2) Canned food product observed swollen, leaking or rusted, and not segregated from other consumable food items .
3) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
4) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
5) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
6) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
7) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
8) No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.
9) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
10) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
11) Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
12) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
13) Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
14) Canned food product observed dented and not segregated from other consumable food items.
15) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
16) Other general violation.

LIU, WEN YING
1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
4) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
5) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
6) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
7) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
8) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

CHANG WANG RESTAURANT
1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
4) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
5) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
6) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
7) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
8) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
9) Other general violation.

BANGKOK EXPRESS NO. 1
1) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
2) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
3) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
4) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
5) Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
6) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
Health Department Sweeps Through Chinatown