Every once in awhile we like to peruse the DOH inspections reports to see who's kept things up to snuff viz a vis the health codes. The Health Dept.'s most recent list includes over 720 restaurants that failed inspection and have to clean up or risk getting shut down. The list features a number of lower tier restaurants (your Panda Houses and M&J Diners), some chains (your Burger Kings and Cold Stone Creameries), and a number of generic Manhattan bars (Libation, Fat Baby). But the following places are worth noting:

1) The biggest stand out by far this time around is Cipriani Downtown. Their DOH visit just two weeks ago earned them a relatively high inspection score of 52. The most worrisome violations: "Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation...Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room...Shellfish not from approved source, improperly tagged/labeled; tags not retained for 90 days."

2) Moving uptown a report on Compass has some similar issues. Because this was filed back in January we can assume that at least their mouse problem has been dealt with. The violation: "Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas...Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas."

3) And over in Times Square, the DOH overlords paid a visit to Gazala Place recently featured in the Times $25 and Under Column. Their biggest complaint: "Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door...Food item spoiled, adulterated, contaminated or cross-contaminated...Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation."

4) Next up, East Village underground sake favorite Decible. Somehow, with the basement level setting, this isn't such a surprise: "Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist...No facility available to wash, rinse, and sanitize utensils and/or equipment not provided...Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas."

5) Another East Village haunt, Cafecito, gets taken down as well. Their inspection, just a few weeks ago revealed some unsettling violations: "Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist...Tobacco use, eating, drinking in food preparation, food storage or dishwashing area observed...Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas."

6) And finally, another $25 and Under alum, Soba Totto, gets taken down: "Milk or milk product undated, improperly dated or expired...Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist...Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room."
· DOH Chronicles: Stage Deli Infested with Vermin [~E~]
· DOH Chronicles: Hakata "Pig's Feet" Tonton Stickered, Shuttered [~E~]

Filed under Manhattan: East Village, Manhattan: Financial District/Wall St/Battery Park City, Manhattan: Midtown West/Times Square, Manhattan: Upper West Side/Columbus Circle, Cafecito, Cipriani Downtown, Compass, Decible, DOH Chronicles, Gazala Place, Soba Totto

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