Restaurants are cited for code violations

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has cited several area restaurants for code violations:

--Coach's Bar & Grill, 14893 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, was cited Aug. 13 for violations during inspections on June 14 and July 2.

Specifically, the department said the licensee had adulterated food on the premises; failed to adequately hot-hold and cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; failed to clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils to sight and touch when contamination may have occurred; failed to maintain the plumbing system in good repair; failed to separate poisonous or toxic materials from food, equipment, and utensils; and had a pesticide unapproved for use in a food establishment. Also, employees failed to wash hands after handling soiled equipment and utensils and had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

"Everything they said was right on and we corrected them immediately," said Brian Darby, owner/operator.

--Hayward's Pit BBQ, 11051 Antioch Road, Overland Park, was cited Aug. 23 for violations during inspections on June 21 and July 16.

Specifically, the department said the licensee had severely dented cans of food; failed to adequately hot-hold and cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; failed to adequately protect stored foods; failed to label ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods with a consume-by date; failed to provide food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils that were free of imperfections; failed to clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils to sight and touch; failed to control the presence of fruit flies; and failed to separate poisonous or toxic materials from food and equipment. Also, employees stored personal drink cups in the food-preparation area and had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

The restaurant is appealing the violations.

--Jen Jen's, 9066 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, was cited Aug. 22 for violations during inspections on June 19 and July 31.

Specifically, the department said the licensee failed to adequately cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; failed to label ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods with a consume-by date; failed to use safe materials for use as food-contact surfaces; and failed to clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils to sight and touch. Also, employees failed to wash hands and exposed portions of their arms with a cleaning compound by vigorously rubbing together the surfaces of their lathered hands and arms for at least 20 seconds and thoroughly rinsing with clean water, and failed to wash hands after eating and before returning to food preparation.

The restaurant plans to appeal.

--Korma Sutra Cuisine of India, 7217 W. 110th St., Overland Park, was cited Aug. 22 for violations during inspections on June 27 and July 18.

Specifically, the department said the licensee failed to adequately protect stored foods; failed to adequately hot-hold and cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; failed to label-ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods with a consume-by date; failed to clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils to sight and touch; failed to protect the water supply from backflow; failed to clearly label working containers used for storing poisonous or toxic material with the common name of the material; and failed to separate poisonous or toxic materials from food and equipment. Also, employees failed to wash hands after using toilet and after handling soiled equipment and utensils, had an uncovered drinking cup stored on a food-preparation table, and had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

Balgit Singh, the owner, said two family members died in June and in August and he returned to India. He said his employees did wash their hands in the restroom, and he is appealing the violations.

"I wasn't there, what can I do? I'm sorry for that," Singh said.

--Lucky Chinese Restaurant, 9544 Nall Ave., Overland Park, was cited Aug. 29 for violations during inspections on July 19 and Aug. 1.

Specifically, the department said the licensee failed to restrict an employee with an uncovered burn on the arm; had adulterated food on the premises (mold on grapes and strawberries); failed to adequately protect stored foods; failed to adequately cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; failed to label ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods with a consume-by date; used unapproved materials for food-contact surfaces; failed to provide the correct concentration of sanitizing solution in the mechanical dishwasher; failed to clean food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils to sight and touch; failed to sanitize utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment before use and after cleaning; and had poisonous or toxic materials unapproved for the operation. Also, employees failed to wash hands with a cleaning compound by vigorously rubbing together the surfaces of their lathered hands and arms for at least 20 seconds and thoroughly rinsing with clean water, and failed to wash hands after handling soiled equipment and utensils.

"We have been changing all the incorrect things," said owner Cheng Dong Li, through a translator. "Our regular customers have been coming for 20 years. We don't want anyone to get sick from our food."

--Nick and Jake's, 6830 W. 135th St., Overland Park, was cited Aug. 31 for violations during inspections on July 24 and Aug. 7.

Specifically, the department said the licensee failed to demonstrate knowledge of foodborne disease prevention and the requirements of the Kansas Food Code; failed to adequately cold-hold potentially hazardous foods; and used food-contact surfaces that had imperfections. Also, employees failed to clean hands after handling soiled equipment and utensils, stored an open personal drink in food preparation areas, and had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.

"Nick and Jake's is very proud of its six-year history and working relationship with local and state health departments," said Kevin Timmons, partner of Nick and Jake's. "We are disappointed and a bit embarrassed that we were cited for health-code violations. Our management team is very well trained, and we will continue its sanitation training this fall as we look forward to upcoming inspections later this year."

--Cassis, 4821 W. 117th St., Leawood, appealed an April 20 citation for violations during inspections on March 14 and March 28.

Specifically, the department said the licensee failed to maintain shellstock tags (for stored shellfish) for 90 days; failed to provide the correct concentration of sanitizing solution in the dishwasher and the three-compartment sink; failed to sanitize utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment before use and after cleaning; and failed to separate poisonous or toxic materials from food and equipment. Also, employees failed to wash hands and exposed portions of their arms with a cleaning compound by vigorously rubbing together the surfaces of their lathered hands and arms for at least 20 seconds and thoroughly rinsing with clean water, failed to wash hands after handling soiled equipment and utensils and after engaging in other activities that contaminate the hands, and stored open personal drinks in food-preparation areas.

The restaurant has made substantial improvements from the time of the first inspection, the department said, so the penalty was reduced from $750 to $375.

Kansas City violations

The Kansas City Missouri Health Department closed Niecie's Restaurant, 5932 Prospect Ave., from 4 p.m. Aug. 16 through noon Aug. 17, for eight critical violations that posed an "imminent health hazard," along with seven noncritical violations.

Specifically, the department said the licensee applied chemical sanitizers and other antimicrobials to food-contact surfaces that did not meet requirements; utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment were not sanitized before use after cleaning; potentially hazardous cold food was not maintained at appropriate temperatures; equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils were not clean to the sight and touch; refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared and held in a food establishment for more than 24 hours was not clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded; and food was not protected from cross-contamination. Also, the employees did not wash hands and exposed arms according to food code guidelines, and ate, drank or used a form of tobacco in designated areas where there could be contamination of exposed food or equipment.

Noncritical violations: No hand-cleaner by hand-washing lavatory; in-use utensils not properly stored between uses; equipment not in good repair; physical facilities not maintained in good repair and cleaned as often as necessary; mops not allowed to air dry after use; sawdust/wood shavings/granular salt used on floors; floors/walls/ceilings not smooth and easily cleanable and/or utility lines unnecessarily exposed; each hand-washing lavatory or group of adjacent lavatories not provided with disposable towels or heated-air hand drying device.

"All of those things that the health department had in their report did not exactly happen the way it was written in the report and we got right back open the next day," said Denise Hayes, owner. "And I've never been a health hazard to my city, and I've been a part of this community, serving this community, for over 25 years."

The Kansas City Missouri Health Department also temporarily closed the kitchens of the following operations in August, usually for less than a day, because of sink backups: Williams-Sonoma, 4764 Broadway; Coyote Cantina & Mexican Grill, 4815 S. Noland Road; Lipari Sun Fresh, 11212 Holmes Road; King's Chef, 1660 E. 63rd St.; Cherry Street Food Court, 615 E. 13th St.; and Church's Chicken, 5500 Prospect Ave.

The Cityscape column runs Tuesdays and Fridays in the business section. To reach Joyce Smith, call 816-234-4692 or send e-mail to jsmith@kcstar.com.