Mouse droppings on pizza pans and gnawed bags of flour close Philadelphia eateries | Clean Plates

Mice are the gift that keeps giving.

In this edition of Clean Plates there was a dead mouse found on a trap by the dough mixer, droppings found on pizza pans, in walk-ins, in bathrooms, on food prep areas and on floors. There were even eight bags of pizza flour that had been gnawed by rodents still hanging around until a health inspector ordered them tossed.

Roaches and their offspring found crawling around on the wall and floors and in the door gaskets of the refrigeration units are a close second when it comes to grossness.

From Sept. 17 to Sept. 30, inspectors closed at least 27 facilities for various violations.

Inspectors visit nearly 1,000 eateries and food retailers every two weeks. Each inspection is generally regarded as a snapshot in time, and not necessarily a reflection of day-to-day conditions. Most violations were corrected immediately in the presence of an inspector.

For all the loyal Clean Plates fans, I want you to know that after two years this is my last column. Fear not, the reports will continue and will be in the capable hands of my amazing co-worker Nick Vadala who will take over Clean Plates as I head to The Upside section, which is filled with good news and good stories.

I have enjoyed bringing you the updates on Philadelphia eateries and their struggles as they deal with mice, employees who won’t wear hair nets, food safety managers who are missing in action and colorful crud in ice machines. Thank you for your support.

To look up reports on a specific Philadelphia restaurant, or a Montgomery, Bucks, or Gloucester County eatery, visit philly.com/cleanplates.

A list of eateries that were closed follows:

927 Levick St.

11 violations, 2 serious

There were eight bags of pizza flour that had been gnawed by rodents; mouse droppings were found on pizza pans in the food preparation area and throughout the facility; a dead mouse was observed on a trap by the dough mixer; house flies were found in the rear food preparation area and warewash area; the front door glass was cracked; pipe penetrations were not sealed; there were gnawed baseboard under a pan storage shelf and gnawed insulation material on the floor behind a dough mixer; a tray of chicken in the walk-in cooler and two bins of food in the bottom compartment of cold prep unit were not covered; The person in charge observed not wearing hair restraints, such as nets, hats; the food safety certified person did not have a city issued food safety certification; there was an ice accumulation in cold prep unit.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 30.

3500 Civic Center Blvd.

6 violations, 2 serious

There were roach and mouse droppings in the rear prep area; mouse droppings were also in the rear hallway and dry storage room; drain flies were in the front prep area; the floor drains were backed up with water and food debris, in front prep area and at floor drain in warewashing area; the food safety person was not present; potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food including lettuce, pasta, bacon, prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours, located in the walk-in cooler were not date marked; the cutting boards had deep scratches and scoring that did not allow for effective cleaning and sanitizing; working bulk food ingredient storage containers including granola were not labeled with the common name of the food.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 30.

3029 N 22nd St.

6 violations, 1 serious

There was no sign at the handwash sink in the toilet room area to remind food employees to wash their hands; the handwash sink in the toilet room area did not have single use towels, continuous towels, or air drying device; there was raw wood shelving used for food storage; there was dust on shelving and window ledges throughout the facility; there was no utility sink and backflow prevention device; there was a broom stored on floor and not elevated on a utility rack; construction equipment observed behind six-door refrigeration unit.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 30.

4201 Levick St.

12 violations, 3 serious

Mouse droppings were in the retail area; a food safety certified person was not present; there was only one hot water heater for the store with food prep and the apartment upstairs; there was expired milk in the retail refrigerator; chemicals were stored above or on the same shelf with food, equipment, and/or single service articles in the retail area; the three-basin sink was leaking onto the floor at the pipe below; there was no splash guard between the three-basin sink and the handsink; the grinder was installed on a shallow wall mounted handsink rather than a four-legged stand alone an approved sink; there was tape on the surface around the handsink; there was unused equipment including a reach-in freezer, chest freezer and unapproved refrigerator in the retail area and basement; the basement steps had damaged paint.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 30.

4953 Frankford Ave.

11 violations, 3 serious

There was grease accumulation and food debris on and under food equipment in the food prep area; grease residue was found on floors under grease trap in basement and in bell drain; a food safety certified person was not present; the paper towel dispenser at the handwash sink in the prep area was empty; par cooked rolls were not held at the required temperature; there were several food items that were being stored uncovered; plastic containers were not inverted on shelving while stored; there were unapproved menus and small paper bags observed lining the containers of par cooked rolls; unapproved soda crates were being used to elevate soda cases; the garbage disposal was installed on shallow basin hand washing sink

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 27.

3301 Saint Vincent St.

17 violations, 5 serious

There was water and debris on the floor with live roaches crawling around on the wall and floor, there is a strong sewage smell present; there were flies and live roaches in the basement toilet room and storage area and flies in the food prep area; prepackaged salads, meats, sandwiches, and other items labels did not provide the ingredient statement, net weight, distributed by statement and/or nutritional facts; the person in charge did not address the waste leak and presence of love roaches and flies in the basement; the person in charge did not have a Food Manager's Food Safety Certificate readily available; the toilet room handsink was not draining; some deli meats on the top shelf were not held at the required temperature; insecticides not labeled by the manufacturer for food facility usage were in the toilet room area; there was defective equipment and unused storage items in the retail area, inside the walk-in cooler, and in the basement storage area; there were openings in floor, wall and ceiling surfaces including around the walk-in refrigerator in the food prep area, the outer wall in the retail area, and the side storage area; cove base was lacking in the retail area.; there were water stained ceiling tiles in the toilet room; the handwashing sign was posted at the warewash sink.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 27.

864 N 50th St.

10 violations, 3 serious

There were flies on food preparation surfaces; the food safety certified person did not know the reportable food borne illnesses and symptoms; there was an open can of tomato sauce stored in walk-in cooler; there was dust in the vent inside the toilet room and walk-in cooler; single-service articles were stored upright; there was an unapproved domestic microwave and domestic rice cooker; there was no utility sink found.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 27.

121 S 16th St.

6 violations, 1 serious

Fresh and old mouse droppings were found on the floor surfaces in the closet adjacent to the toilet rooms, on the floor surfaces in the basement chemical storage area, on the ledge surfaces in the server station; loose rodenticide was on the floor surfaces in the closet adjacent to the toilet room; the entry door did not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals; adequate splash protection was not provided between the clean storage rack and the basement utility sink; floor surfaces were not in good repair in the basement warewashing area, there was low floor grout in the basement dry storage area.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 27.

6300 Stenton Ave.

4 violations, 2 serious

There was no water observed at handsink; there were unapproved homemade packaged juices for sale; there was food debris on the sides of the stove and floor.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 26.

35 W Girard Ave.

8 violations, 5 serious

The rice cooker observed being stored outside of the mobile unit, which did not protect against contamination; food including chicken, lamb, cut tomatoes, and cut lettuce were not held at the required temperature; chemical spray and water bottles were being stored in the designated hand wash sink; water temperature at the hand wash sink was below what is required; the facility did not have enough utensils to changed or sanitized them every four hours; there was food debris along floor perimeters; this inspection was in response to a complaint.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 26.

242 Market St.

14 violations, 4 serious

There was visible physical evidence of flies in the warewash, retail, and basement areas; black, slick waste water with small flying insect activity was found in the rear of the basement; food employee were donning single use gloves without a prior hand wash; expired containers of milk were in the customer self-service coffee preparation area; diced tomatoes and onions were not held at the required temperature; an insecticide, Ortho Home Defense, not labeled by the manufacturer for food facility usage, was found in the basement area; the hot water generation observed at the hand wash sink in the front service area was slow; there was residue and debris accumulation on floor surfaces underneath and behind cabinets in the consumer self-service beverage area; stagnant black water was found in the basement; thermometers on the under-counter cold-holding units in the front service area used for ensuring proper equipment temperatures were not calibrated and/or functioning.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 25.

2400 W Passyunk Ave.

20 violations, 9 serious

The food safety certified person was not present at all times; employee beverage containers were stored on and above shelves with food in a reach-in freezer; the paper towel dispenser at the handwash sink in the ware washing area and restroom were empty; the handwash sinks in the food preparation area and ware washing area were blocked by a spatula and a wiping cloth and not accessible at all times for employee use; tomato sauce in the bucket at the sauce machine was not at the required temperature, without a time temperature log to indicate disposal after four hours; the sauce machine was soiled; margarine in the walk-in cooler was uncovered; there was a damaged wall at the utility closet; the person in charge was advised to obtain City of Philadelphia Food Safety Certificate; food employees were not wearing hair restraints, such as nets, hats; food equipment in the ware washing area was not clean to sight and touch; chemicals were stored on a box of pizza sauce in the food preparation area; the toilet room door was propped opened.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 24.

642 Diamond St.

9 violations, 4 serious

There was a severe fly infestation in kitchen prep area and in grocery area; flies were landing on food contact surfaces in kitchen and on prepackaged food, and containers; mouse feces was mixed in with debris along walls and corners in retail area; there were live roaches crawling on walls in kitchen prep area near deli display case and near prep table; soap and paper towels were not available at the handwash sink in the prep area; deli meats and cheeses, opened commercially processed ready-to-eat food, located in the deli case, and held more than 48 hours, were not marked with the date it was opened; the food safety person presented a copy of food safety certification and not the original; grease/grime accumulation was found around floor perimeters in the food preparation area; there was debris along perimeter of prep area and under equipment.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 23.

44 N 52nd St.

11 violations, 4 serious

Flies were found in the food prep area and mouse droppings found near reach-in; there was no hot water available at bathroom hand washing sink; the establishment was reusing single use containers to store food; homemade glue boards and open rodenticide were found; chicken was only partially cooked and stored at room temperature until an order is made; uncovered food stored in walk-in box; raw food was stored over ready-to-eat/prepared foods; ice scoops were stored with the handle in contact with the ice.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 20.

850 N 50th St.

17 violations, 6 serious

There were flies nesting inside the prep refrigerator; there were roach parts in back storage area; flies were found throughout the facility; a fly was on a cutting board; dripping liquids and other food debris were found inside the prep refrigeration unit; an insect control device was located in prep area and had the potential to contaminate food, equipment, and/or utensils; the slicer had an accumulation of food residue on the food contact surfaces and was not being washed, rinsed and sanitized at least every four hours; chopped lettuce was not held at the required temperature; the grinder sink and warewashing sink were plumbed on the same line; a hood system was not available in the facility; there was no hot water in bathroom.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 20.

897 N 50th St.

17 violations, 8 serious

Flies were found throughout establishment; there was no sign at the handwash sink in the prep area to remind food employees to wash their hands; there was no soap at hand washing sink; there was no splash guard present between hand wash/grinder sink and deep fryer; knives were stored in soiled seams; the water pressure at the three compartment sink was inadequate; tomatoes in cold prep refrigerator were not held at the required temperature; opened commercially processed ready-to-eat foods, located in the deli display case, and held more than 48 hours, were not marked with the date it was opened; personal items were stored on food product shelving in storage area; trash receptacle stored inside of prep area had food waste inside and no lid.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 19.

5605 Market St.

1 violations, none serious

New establishment opened prior to plan submission and approval; alteration or construction began prior to plan submission and approval.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 19.

1109 Walnut St. Spc 2

5 violations, 3 serious

There was black residue on the interior of the ice machine bin; the wiping cloths in bar area were stored in sanitizer bucket with an improper concentration of sanitizer; potentially hazardous food including cheese was not held at the required temperature; food temperature measuring devices for ensuring proper food temperatures was not calibrated and/or functioning properly; food employees were not wearing or wearing ineffective hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard restraints.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 18.

1800 Spring Garden St.

25 violations, 8 serious

Mouse droppings were found in the food prep and storage areas, along the wall ledge between the food prep areas, and on the floors under shelving in the storage prep area; dead roaches were inside of one of the reach-in refrigerators; roaches and nymphs and debris were in the door gaskets of the refrigeration and freezer equipment, along the sides of refrigeration equipment and along the top of the refrigerator; flies observed landing on food contact surfaces in the food prep area; there were dead roached on soiled glueboards in the beverage storage room; a fly strip and fly zapper located in rear storage area with potential to contaminate food, equipment, and / or utensils; a food employee was touching ready-to-eat fried chicken with his bare hands; food employees were washing their hands at the food prep sink instead of the designated handwash sink; hot water was not available at the handwash sink in the customer restroom; several foods were uncovered in the cold prep unit refrigerator, under-counter freezer, reach-in freezer, and walk-in cooler; there was a defective urinal in the toilet room; ready-to-eat fried chicken and egg rolls were stored on soiled surfaces including newspaper linings and cardboard boxes; potentially hazardous ready-to-eat foods including chicken, pork, and egg rolls, prepared in the food facility, located in the refrigerators and walk-in cooler, were not date marked; there was debris on the exterior surfaces of bulk ingredient containers; the interior surfaces of rice cookers were heavily soiled; the walk-in cooler floors were unclean; ice accumulation was inside of the chest freezer in the rear storage area.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 18.

Chelten Market

176 W Chelten Ave.

10 violations, 2 serious

There is no hot water provided for employees to wash their hands; severely dented, swollen, distressed canned items were in seafood display case area; dead flies were found in the retail shelving in the juice area; flies were on the wall in the hot foods and seafood areas; cardboard lining was on the floor in front of the freezer display case in the meat display area; there were water damaged and moldy ceiling tiles in the retail area; grease and debris was on the floor in the fryer area in the hot foods area.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 18.

5675 Rising Sun Ave.

19 violations, 1 serious

Mouse droppings were found on the bottom shelf of a work table and under a wrapping machine in the seafood department; drain flies were found in an unused walk-in cooler in the seafood department; house flies were in the rear storage room; dust was on vent guards in produce walk-in cooler; there was ice accumulation in a reach-in freezer in the retail area; the wall surfaces of an unused walk-in cooler in the seafood department were not clean due to drain flies infestation; food debris was on the floor of produce walk-in cooler; fly strips were hung above seafood department preparation area and warewash area; there was no hot water at handwash sink in seafood department warewash area; three buckets of pork in a walk-in cooler in the main kitchen were not covered; prepackaged pastries in the retail area were not labeled properly with the name of product, ingredient statement, net weight, distributed by statement and/or nutritional facts; there were cracked floor tiles in the walk-in freezer of seafood department; cardboard was used as shelf liners in rear storage area; domestic drain racks were found above three-bay sink in seafood department and produce department; an unused refrigeration unit was in the retail area; there were defective door gaskets on two walk-in freezer and a walk-in cooler in the meat department; the base covings in all walk-in boxes were damaged or loose; wastewater from ice bath tables drained to the floor in the seafood department; the floor drain by a walk-in cooler in the meat department was clogged.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 18.

1601 Washington Ave.

15 violations, 7 serious

Cockroach fecal matter was found throughout the facility on walls and crevices; dead cockroaches were found on shelving; fly tape was found wrapped around light fixtures at the beverage bar area; house flies were in the kitchen; nymph German cockroaches and adults were found in the storage area in cracks of the wood shelving and in shelving units; there were old mouse droppings in the employee toilet room; there was a domestic reach-in freezer; the hot water dispenser, used for tea, was leaking; the handle to reach-in refrigerator was missing; there was an ice accumulation in the reach-in freezer; the side entrance door was broken and had an opening, which was inviting to pests; there was black residue on the interior of the ice machine bin at the beverage bar around the side; soap was not available at the handwash sink in the back food preparation area; the facility was still washing utensils in the handsink without proper sanitization requirements.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 18.

1613 McKean St

23 violations, 10 serious

Mouse droppings and food debris were found along floor perimeters in the food preparation area; dead flies were on the food preparation area window sill; flies were throughout the facility; drain flies were found in the mop closet; pink slime was on the interior of the ice machine bin; residue was found inside the soda gun nozzle; there was an accumulation of grease and food debris found by the table under flat top grill; the food safety certified individual was not present; employees were donning single use gloves without a prior hand wash; food employees did not wash hands between changing tasks; there was no soap available at the handwash sink in the bar area; the handwash sink in the food preparation area was blocked by food equipment and not accessible at all times for employee use; doors of the food facility did not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals; garage doors were open during the inspection.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 17.

1133 S Broad St.

29 violations, 10 serious

Clean utensils were stored in dirty containers with old mouse droppings; house flies were found throughout the facility landing in food, flying around the back area garbage; dead flies and food debris were found in refrigerators; there were mouse droppings throughout the facility including on soy sauce buckets, food and utensils storage shelving, utensils storage container, in the walk-in cooler where beverages were stored, and on canned item storage shelving; there was an accumulation of food debris around and under all equipment; fly tape was in the kitchen above dumplings; employee beverages were stored on the food preparation table next to cabbage and broccoli; metal and plastic garbage cans were used for dry food storage; soap was not available at the handwash sink in the back food preparation area and the toilet room; the facility only had one roll of paper towels; paper towels were not available at the toilet room and handwashing sink; several raw animal foods were stored above ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in cooler; uncovered food was found throughout the facility and in the walk-in cooler; rice and chicken were not held at required temperature; watermelon, cooked chicken and egg rolls, potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food, prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours, located in the walk-in and refrigerator, were not date marked; dumpsters were used for the disposal of grindable garbage; shopping bags used for food storage; there was peeling paint on the ceiling, damaged floor tiles and missing wall covings.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 17.

447 E Alleghany Ave.

9 violations, 2 serious

The food safety certified person was not present at the start of inspection; paper towels were not available at the handwash sinks behind the bar and women's restroom; wooden palettes used for elevation in the storage closet were not smooth and easily cleanable; the food facility lacked sanitizer test strips to monitor sanitizer concentration; restroom doors were not self-closing; a broom and dustpan were stored in direct contact with the floor instead of elevated on a utility rack when not in use; alteration or construction began prior to plan submission and approval: new floors/walls/bar counter were installed.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 17.

9969 Bustleton Ave.

19 violations, 3 serious

A mouse nest and a live mouse were found on the floor between a beverage storage rack and a refrigerator next to the front order counter; mouse droppings were throughout the facility; flies were in the food preparation area; the interior of the rice cooker had a brown slime build-up; there was slow hot water generation at the handwash sink in the restroom; food in a cold prep unit and walk-in cooler were not held at proper temperature; there were non food grade bags used for food storage in the refrigerator and reach-in freezer; cardboard was used as shelf liners in the storage area; the restroom handwash sink was not sealed to the wall; domestic reach-in freezer and microwave oven were found in the food preparation area; a cold prep unit and walk-in cooler did not hold food at proper temperature.

The establishment was issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately. The establishment could not operate for a minimum of 48 hours. Inspected Sept. 17.

6100 Torresdale Ave.

13 violations, 1 serious

Flies were found; the front door was propped open without measures in place to protect against the unwanted entry of rodents, animals, or insects; there was no food safety certified person present; the garbage disposal was not in good repair; there were unapproved table top fryers in the facility that have been used; there was old stagnant mop water in the portable mop bucket; the toilet room door was not self closing; grease accumulation was found on lower walls in prep area due to unapproved frying; the floor perimeters in the prep and rear warewashing areas had dirt debris accumulation; there was mold residue accumulation inside of the utility sink; uncooked pastelitos, cooked pastelitos and used fryers were found; the establishment was preparing hot food on site which is unapproved due to the lacking of needed equipment such a mechanical ventilation.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 17.

5562 Chancellor St.

17 violations, 5 serious

Cockroaches were found in the bottom seams of deep freezer located in food prep area; the warewashing sink sanitizing compartment was inoperable; a spoon use to stir coffee was stored in a cup of murky water; utensils and food contact equipment were not being properly washed; paper towels, and soap were not available at the handwash sink in the food prep area; a hand sink was non-operational; the handwashing sink in prep area had leaks; crates and dishes were found in the handwash sink; food employees were not wearing or wearing ineffective hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard restraints; there were missing floor tiles, ceiling tile and baseboard covering in the toilet room; the toilet was under construction.

The establishment agreed to discontinue food operations and voluntarily close until it is approved by the Department to resume operations. Inspected Sept. 17.