An Ocala eatery was shut down recently by a health inspector who found 14 violations, including issues with roaches and food temperatures.
The health inspector visited Ayuttaya Thai Cuisine, located at 2437 S.W. 27th Avenue, on March 31 and reported finding four high-priority, one intermediate and nine basic violations. The inspector then ordered the restaurant to lock its doors at 12:54 p.m., according to a report on file with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The inspector reported finding 42 live roaches throughout the eatery, with 15 of those being in crevices of cabinets located on the front line. Ten others were found on a compressor under a ware wash area, seven under a pass-thru window, four under a bay of triple sinks, four under a triple sink and two on the floor in the prep area, the report says.
The inspector also issued a high-priority violation for finding rehydrated noodles being held at 67 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 26 degrees higher than the recommended temperature. An employee told the inspector that the noodles are placed back in a walk-in cooler after the lunch rush, the report says.
A third high-priority violation was issued for a female employee touching her face mask, taking a drink and continuing to serve plates of food without washing her hands. The fourth high-priority violation was for flats of raw shell eggs stored over cut vegetables.
An intermediate violation was issued after a female employee filled a water bucket at a hand-wash sink. Nine basic violations also were cited. Those included:
- A buildup of food debris, dust or dirt on hood filters, the exterior of a reach-in freezer in the prep area, cooler gaskets on the cookline and the exterior portions of a triple sink, roll carts and shelves located throughout the eatery.
- A buildup of grease on hood filters above cooking equipment.
- Approximately 50 dead roaches located in various places throughout the eatery.
- Employee beverage containers on a prep table at the cookline, on a shelf over clean dishes in the prep area, on a counter under a pass-thru and on a shelf over sauce at a front reach-in cooler.
- An employee’s bag stored on a dry storage shelf and a hat on storage shelf in the prep area.
- A cardboard shelf at a microwave, tape on two reach-in freezer doors and a male employee using a glass to scoop ice for his drink.
- The interior of a microwave in a server station soiled with encrusted food debris.
- A single-use glove left on a prep tale at the cookline.
- Unclean building components (walls above cooking equipment, walls behind a reach-in cooler on the cookline, cabinets at the front line, the floor under a ware wash area, dry storage shelves and under a reach-in freezer in the prep area).
The inspector returned on April 2 and reported finding two violations, both of which centered on live and dead roaches in the eatery. The restaurant remained closed until the inspector returned later in the day and reported no violations. The eatery was then allowed to reopen at 2:33 p.m., according to the report.