Cockroach infestation, mouse feces, old pozole. Wichita KS restaurant inspections
Eight restaurants, stores and other businesses in and around Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week.
Their problems include a cockroach infestation, dead bugs and other filth attracting pests, old food, businesses without hot water and functioning food thermometers, mouse feces by areas where food is prepared or stored, bottles of chemicals that weren’t labeled with their contents, and foods that weren’t stored in ways or at temperatures that are safe for the public, according to inspection reports.
Information about the food establishments and a summary of their violations appear below. The list includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from March 24-30. The list was compiled April 3.
Nearly 60 establishments passed inspections during that same time. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.
Business owners or managers can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com to comment on inspection results that appear in this story.
More details about the inspection results are in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.
Out-of-compliance inspections
13th Street Market, 1802 E. 13th St., Suite 600 in Wichita — Six violations on March 29 during a routine inspection. Dozens of fresh and old mouse feces under kitchen counter and behind coolers, no soap or paper towels at hand-washing sink in employee bathroom, employees were washing their hands in the kitchen after using restroom, probe food thermometer didn’t work, no backflow prevention at mop sink, mouse feces was by packaged condiments and under sodas and in other areas with food, mouse hole chewed through wall. Next inspection: April 8.
Carousel Skate Center, 312 N. West St. in Wichita — Two violations on March 29 during a follow-up inspection. Bottles of cleaning and sanitizing chemicals weren’t labeled with common names, no test strips for measuring concentration of chlorine sanitizer for dishwasher. Next inspection: April 8.
Dollar Tree, 3701 N. Maize Road in Wichita — Two violations on March 25 during a follow-up inspection. No water under pressure because the water heater was being repaired, no hot water in building. Next inspection: April 5.
Little Caesars Pizza, 5000 S. Broadway in Wichita — Two violations on March 25 during a modified complaint inspection. Sanitizer dispenser wasn’t working at the three-compartment sink while dishes were being washed, restaurant didn’t have the correct test strips for Quaternary sanitizer. The next inspection date wasn’t listed.
Saigon Oriental Restaurant, 1103 N. Broadway in Wichita — Three violations on March 28 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. At least a dozen dead cockroaches in building need to be removed so they don’t attract more pests, living cockroaches under freezer and reach-in cooler and dead cockroaches under equipment, dead cockroach on preparation table and more living cockroaches under wok station in kitchen and on floor under equipment, grease and food debris accumulated under equipment and under wok stations and fryer are food sources for pests. Next inspection: May 28.
Taqueria La Chona, 3415 E. Harry in Wichita — Five violations on March 28 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Bottles of bleach and degreaser weren’t labeled with contents, cooked beans weren’t stored in a way that allowed them to cool down within the required time period, buckets of beans and birria sauce and pozole weren’t cold enough in walk-in cooler, old pozole, containers in clean storage were soiled with sticker residue and food debris. Next inspection: May 28.
VenuWorks of Wichita Catering at Hartman Arena, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive in Park City — Two violations on March 30 during a follow-up inspection. Old garlic in oil and sour cream, no hot water in men’s bathroom. Next inspection: May 30.
Walt’s, 7732 E. Central, Suite 110 in Wichita — Twelve violations on March 28 during a joint inspection. Raw tilapia was thawed in intact vacuum packaging which can encourage toxins that cause botulism to grow, no hot water at hand-washing sink in employee bathroom, potato salad and butter were sitting out at room temperature, cheeses weren’t cold enough, cracked and heat-deformed food containers, probe food thermometer wasn’t calibrated correctly, spray bottle of sanitizer was stored with the nozzle facing a bag of sliced almonds, backflow prevention at mop sink is installed in a way that could put the clean water supply at risk of contamination, sanitizer in dish washer wasn’t working, raw chicken was stored above raw sirloin steaks in cooler, containers soiled with food and sticker residue were in clean storage, French fries that are double cooked were sitting out at room temperature between their first and second cooks, wall plaque with a consumer advisory about the risks of consuming undercooked steaks didn’t list hamburger steaks even though the restaurant serves them cooked to order. Next inspection: April 7.
Cook licked finger, poked food. Cockroaches. Blood. Wichita KS restaurant inspections
Dog in grocery store. Dead mice. Old food. Mold. Wichita KS restaurant inspections
How establishments fail
Most violations are minor and are corrected during an inspection.
Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause foodborne illnesses or when a problem can’t be fixed right away, such as bug and rodent infestations. Typically, establishments are re-inspected within 10 days.
It’s rare for a facility to shut down over a failed inspection. But it can happen due to things like sewage backups, pest problems, and water or power outages. Usually, closures are temporary.
You can search food and lodging inspection results in any Kansas county at www.foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
How to complain
If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.
To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a report at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.
Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at https://agriculture.ks.gov/kda-services/complaint-form/food-safety-and-lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
These businesses passed inspections last week
ABC Discount Liquor, 301 S. Tyler Road in Wichita
Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant, 452 S. Ridge Road in Wichita
Bionic Burger, 660 N. Ridge Road in Wichita
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 125 N. Quentin in Wichita
Bostic Traditional Magnet Elementary School, 8103 E. Gilbert in Wichita
Brooks Center for STEM & Arts Magnet Middle School, 3802 E. 27th St. North in Wichita
Buckner Performing Arts Magnet Elementary School, 3530 E. 27th St. North in Wichita
Burger King, 4220 E. Harry in Wichita
Carniceria El Guero 1, 524 W. 21st St. in Wichita
Chili’s Grill & Bar, 7887 E. Central in Wichita
Clark Elementary School, 650 S. Apache in Wichita
Clearwater High School, 1201 E. Ross in Clearwater
Courtyard by Marriott Wichita East, 2975 N. Webb in Wichita
Derby High School, 920 N. Rock Road in Derby
Derby Hills Elementary School, 2230 N. Woodlawn in Derby
Dog-N-Shake, 8800 W. Maple in Wichita
Eisenhower High School, 1230 S. 167th St. West in Goddard
El Sonorense Mexican Food Truck (mobile vendor/food truck), 255 N. Exposition in Wichita
Excaret Mexico Bar & Grill, 424 W. Grand in Haysville
Explorer Elementary School, 16746 W. Explorer in Goddard
Firehouse Subs, 2413 N. Greenwich, Suite 103 in Wichita
Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 1025 E. Douglas in Wichita
Food Production Center for Wichita Public Schools, 3850 N. Hydraulic in Wichita
Goodcents, 1212 S. Tyler Road in Wichita
Gordon Parks Elementary School, 2201 E. 25th St. North in Wichita
Guelaguetza Market, 2835 S. Hydraulic in Wichita
Haysville Middle School, 900 W. Grand in Haysville
Il Primo Espresso Caffe, 6422 E. Central in Wichita
ITzcali Tapas & Tequilas, 2819 E. Central in Wichita
Jersey Mike’s Subs, 2564 N. Greenwich, Suite 550 in Wichita
Just A Sip, 2126 N. Webb in Wichita
Little Caesars Pizza, 4100 E. Harry, Suite 30 in Wichita
LongHorn Steakhouse, 2720 N. Maize Road in Wichita
Lowe’s Home Improvement, 2626 N. Maize Road in Wichita
Lowe’s Home Improvement, 333 S. Ridge Road in Wichita
McDonald’s, 1421 N. West St. in Wichita
McDonald’s, 10321 W. 21st St. in Wichita
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, 2240 N. Tyler Road, Suite 100 in Wichita
Panaderia El Guero, 512 W. 21st St. in Wichita
Park City BMX McLean Park, 1628 E. Ravena in Wichita
Parkhill Elementary School, 1500 E. Woodbrook in Derby
Pat’s Concessions, 1700 N. Ridge Road in Wichita
The Peaceful Pachyderm, 141 E. Kay in Derby
Rex Elementary School, 1100 W. Grand in Haysville
RibCrib BBQ, 500 S. Ridge Road in Wichita
Riverside Elementary School, 1001 N. Porter in Wichita
Robinson Middle School, 328 N. Oliver in Wichita
Sowers Alternative High School, 2400 E. Wassall in Wichita
Spangles, 453 N. Hillside in Wichita
Swaney Elementary School, 501 English in Derby
Tacos El Tapatio, 1721 N. Broadway in Wichita
Tacos La Pesada (mobile vendor/food truck), 102 E. 29th St. North in Wichita
Tanglewood Elementary School, 830 N. Ridgecrest in Derby
Tortilleria Los III Potrillos, 318 W. 29th St. North in Wichita
Two Shoes Entertainment (mobile vendor/food truck), 751 S. George Washington Blvd. in Wichita
Wendy’s, 4821 S. Broadway in Wichita
Wheatland Elementary School, 15200 E. 21st St. in Wichita
Wichita Inn, 5500 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita
Yoder Meats, 6458 E. Central in Wichita
Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.
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