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Vomiting deli worker. Cockroaches. Dirty hands. Wichita KS restaurant inspections

Wichita Eagle - 3/8/2024

Mar. 8—Six restaurants and a grocery store in Wichita and Haysville were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture last week.

Their problems include cockroaches, employees who didn't wash their hands after touching dirty dishes and trash, rodent feces in food preparation areas, rotting broccoli, a deli worker who was coughing and vomited, meats thawing at room temperature, old olive loaf, equipment that didn't work and pasta draining in a sink plumbed directly to a sewer, according to inspection reports.

Information about the seven food establishments and a summary of their violations appear below. The list was compiled March 6 and includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County from Feb. 25 to March 2.

At least 60 establishments passed inspections during that same time. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.

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.

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.

Out-of-compliance inspections

Bionic Burger, 3257 E. Harry in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 27 during a follow-up inspection. Container of cheese sitting in ice bath wasn't cold enough, dozens of rodent droppings under soda machine and in back storage area. Next inspection: April 27.

Blue Fin Sake Bar & Sushi, 255 N. Washington in Wichita — Six violations on Feb. 26 during a routine inspection. Broccoli was "dark brown on top and obviously spoiled," bowl of marinated meat was thawing at room temperature, cooked eel and cooked fish was sitting at room temperature, missing paperwork, cooked pasta was draining in a sink directly plumbed to the sewer, consumer advisory sign didn't list menu items that are served raw or undercooked. Next inspection: March 7.

Dolphin Restaurant, 2959 S. Hillside, Suite 500 in Wichita — Two violations on Feb. 27 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Raw pork was stored by bag of cooked meatballs and container of cooked meat in cooler, several foods including vegetables and meat weren't kept cold enough in ice baths or refrigeration. Next inspection: March 8.

Japan Express Restaurant, 2250 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Nine violations on Feb. 29 during a routine inspection. Employee didn't wash their hands after cleaning dirty dishes, employee didn't change gloves after taking out the trash, steak sauce and other sauces weren't labeled with preparation dates, a wire strainer had multiple holes in it, bag of raw chicken was sitting on box of raw beef in cooler, bottles of degreaser weren't labeled with contents, employee didn't wash their hands after taking a drink from their personal cup, cooked chicken breast wasn't warm enough in hot holding. Next inspection: March 9.

Leeker's Family Foods, 201 N. Main in Haysville — Ten violations on Feb. 27 during a complaint inspection. The store didn't have a verifiable policy for ill employees that says they can't work with food or equipment if they're sick and must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to work, deli employee was coughing and vomiting, gravy and mashed potatoes weren't warm enough in hot holding, several open packages of deli meats weren't labeled with the correct dates, old olive loaf, bottles of sanitizer weren't labeled with contents, milk and brown gravy in a cooler weren't labeled with preparation or package opening dates, cases of beer were stored on the ground, a fly strip was hanging over a bag of peanuts, raw beef was stored over packages of deli meats and eggs were stored above containers of lasagna and macaroni and cheese in cooler. Next inspection: March 8.

On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, 1930 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Six violations on Feb. 27 during a routine inspection. Food on kitchen floor and grease behind trash can on cook line were food sources for roaches, sanitizers were stored in the tortilla station area with nozzle pointed toward tortilla press and dough, French fries and cheese in cooler weren't cold enough, cups of salsa weren't cold enough in cooler even though they were stored overnight, no paper towels at bar hand-washing sink, food and sticker residue on metal pans that were supposed to be clean, cockroach ran out from drawer under steam table and pest control had killed about 100 roaches earlier in the day. Next inspection: March 8.

Thai House Restaurant, 969 N. West St. in Wichita — Six violations on Feb. 29 during a routine inspection. Frozen ground beef and chicken were thawing at room temperature without water running on them, no soap at hand-washing sink, half and half wasn't labeled with package opening date, peanut butter jars weren't labeled with preparation dates, probe food thermometer didn't work, meats and bean sprouts weren't kept cold enough. Next inspection: March 10.

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

— Anderson Elementary School, 2945 S. Victoria in Wichita

— Auburn Hills Golf Course, 443 S. 135th St. West in Wichita

— Barron's Bar & Grill, 2508 S. Oliver in Wichita

— Bella Luna Cafe, 2441 N. Maize Road, Suite 2511 in Wichita

— Bentley Primary School, 212 N. Phelps in Bentley

— Blaine's Candy & Gifts, 1421 E. Grand in Haysville

— Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store, 1252 N. Greenwich in Wichita

— Buffalo Brew Coffee Company, 1550 S. Meridian in Valley Center

— Burger King, 1506 N. Nelson Drive in Derby

— Cabron Y Vagos, 301 N. Washington in Wichita

— Charleys Philly Steaks, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite VC06 in Wichita

— Chuck's Hot Chicken, 2625 W. Pawnee in Wichita

— Corner Market, 3311 N. Rock Road in Wichita

— Country Cafe, 2804 S. Seneca in Wichita

— The Cowboy Inn, 642 N. St. Paul in Wichita

— Derby Middle School, 801 E. Madison in Derby

— Dodge Literacy Magnet Elementary School, 4801 W. Second St. in Wichita

— Dollar General Store, 4549 E. Pawnee in Wichita

— Dollar Plus Grocery & Smoke Shop, 1106 S. Hydraulic in Wichita

— Emperor's Japanese Grill, 2250 N. Ridge Road, Suite 200 in Wichita

— Empire Tacos, 219 W. Main in Mulvane

— Everyday by Elderslie, 2132 N. Rock Road, Suite 102 in Wichita

— Fat Ernie'sFamily Dining, 2806 S. Hydraulic in Wichita

— Five Below, 2702 N. Greenwich Court in Wichita

— Five Below, 8143 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite 11A in Wichita

— Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 2929 N. Rock Road in Wichita

— Gera's Street Tacos (mobile vendor/food truck), 1555 N. Broadway in Wichita

— Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, 616 S. Ridge Road in Wichita

— Hadley Middle School, 1101 N. Dougherty in Wichita

— Hibachi Boy, 1220 N. Rock Road, Suite 400 in Derby

— Hibachi Boy, 2243 N. Tyler Road, Suite 119 in Wichita

— Hot Stone Korean Grill, 3743 N. Rock Road in Wichita

— Juniper Clay Canning Company (mobile vendor/food truck), 7420 W. 10th St. in Wichita

— Kansas Sampler, 3053 N. Rock Road in Wichita

— Kelly Elementary School, 3143 S. Millwood in Wichita

— La Familia Senior Community Center, 841 W. 21st St. in Wichita

— Le Monde Cafe & Deli, 602 N. West St. in Wichita

— Levy Special Education Center, 400 N. Woodchuck in Wichita

— Long John Silver's, 2090 W. 21st St. in Wichita

— Marco's Pizza, 521 W. Grand in Haysville

— McDonald's, 3430 S. Hydraulic in Wichita

— Mead Middle School, 2601 E. Skinner in Wichita

— Merle's Place, 440 N. Seneca in Wichita

— Monica's Bundt Cake of Wichita, 2721 E. Central, Suite 102 in Wichita

— O'Brien's Pub, 5205 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite 107 in Wichita

— Pribbenow Variety Store, 111 S. Wichita in Bentley

— Riverside Cafe of Derby, 824 N. Baltimore in Derby

— The Rushwood Senior Living, 2121 N. 143rd St. East in Wichita

— Sam's Southern Eatery Wichita, 2706 N. Amidon in Wichita

— Sim Park Golf Course, 2020 W. Murdock in Wichita

— St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, 645 N. 119th St. West in Wichita

— St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, 1215 N. Stratford in Wichita

— Starlite Drive-In, 3900 S. Hydraulic in Wichita

— Stone Creek Elementary School, 3012 N. Triple Creek Drive in Derby

— Taco Bell, 2707 W. 53rd St. North in Wichita

— Truesdell Middle School, 2464 S. Glenn in Wichita

— Vorshay's Cocktail Lounge, 417 E. Douglas in Wichita

— Walmart Supercenter, 501 E. Pawnee in Wichita

— Wendy's, 4821 S. Broadway in Wichita

— Wichita East High School, 2301 E. Douglas 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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