A popular Ocala chicken restaurant was shut down last week after a health inspector cited three violations – all dealing with roach problems inside the eatery.
The health inspector visited Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, located at 9548 SW State Road 200, this past Wednesday and closed the business shortly after 4 p.m. The inspector cited two high-priority and one basic violation for the temporary closure, according to a report on file with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The most egregious violations centered around live roaches and excrement found at the cook line and under a steam table. Six live roaches were spotted on a wall and behind the steam table’s electric outlet. And roach excrement was found under the steam table and behind an electric outlet lid, the report says.
One basic violation was cited for a dead roach in the office area underneath a desk. The restaurant’s manager took care of that issue while the inspector was still on site, the report says.
The inspector made three visits to the restaurant the following day. Roach issues remained during the first two visits but the inspector gave the eatery the all-clear to reopen at 4:46 p.m. after the third visit, the report says.