A restaurant in Dunnellon was temporarily closed last week after sewage and wastewater began backing up through the floor drains.
On Tuesday, February 6, The Equestrian Grill located at 10155 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon was shut down after a failed inspection, according to a report filed by a health inspector with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The restaurant was cited for a total of 17 violations, including seven that were deemed “high priority.”
One of those high priority violations was due to several floor drains “backing up” near the kitchen. The report stated that a toilet in the employee restroom was “leaking (a) large amount of sewage onto the floor.”
In the report, the health inspector also noted the following high priority violations:
- Unwrapped ham and cooked burgers being stored directly on a “visibly soiled shelf” inside the reach-in cooler.
- A pan containing raw beef being stored above a pan containing cooked sausage inside the reach-in cooler. A raw shell egg was also being stored above an open box containing sticks of butter in the same cooler.
- A spray bottle containing bleach and aerosol air freshener being stored on a shelf above cans of beans and a box of dry pasta in the rear storage room.
- An employee touching their shirt, face, and personal phone with gloved hands and then continuing to touch bags of food and grill steaks.
- An employee washing their gloved hands in the sink and then continuing to prepare food without changing their single-use gloves.
- No “backflow prevention device” at the hose connection behind the building.
There were several intermediate violations cited in the report, including unwrapped ham and a pan containing cooked sausage in the reach-in cooler that were both missing dates. The health inspector also noted that a rusted can opener blade was on a prep table in the storage area, and the shelves inside the reach-in cooler were “soiled with debris.”
In addition, paper towels were missing at the handwashing sink in the kitchen, and the sink was blocked by a large pan and bucket.
The health inspector noted that there was a “strong odor” in the employee restroom due to a toilet leaking sewage onto the floor. This was listed in the report as a “basic” violation.
The restaurant remained closed after the initial inspection, and the health inspector returned the next day.
During the follow-up visit on Wednesday, February 7, the report stated that inspection standards were met, and The Equestrian Grill was permitted to reopen.