NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed April 14 - 22

NEW YORK — Filth flies, vermin and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they'd rather not share. But New York City's Health Department is watching.

Every year, inspectors arrive unannounced at more than 25,000 restaurants to examine health and safety standards.

Most eateries pass inspections, but some fall short of the city's standards, accruing violation points for everything from broken light bulbs to "public health hazards," like vermin and failure to follow food safety protocols.

Restaurants hit with non-food-safety violations might get a fine or a lower letter grade, with zero to 13 points warranting an 'A' and violations totaling 28 points or more earning a 'C' (this system is criticized for its efficacy by some gourmands).

Public health hazards that can't be resolved on the spot, like a mouse or fly infestation, pose a bigger issue: immediate closure.

At least several restaurants citywide meet that fate every week. During the last seven days that list includes a Brooklyn hotel cafe with filth flies and a pizzeria by Lincoln Square with sewage-contaminated food prep areas.

Here's all the eateries that the Department of Health closed down since April 14, 2022:

Manhattan

Casabianca Pizzeria (503 W 57th Street): 68 violation points

1. Food, food preparation area, food storage area, area used by employees or patrons, contaminated by sewage or liquid waste.
2. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
4. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
5. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Brooklyn

As You Are (61 Bond Street): 40 violation points

1. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
2. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
3. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.

Greenberg's Bagels Bed Stuy (1065 Bedford Avenue): 58 violation points

1. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
2. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
3. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
4. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
5. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
6. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.

Suede (5610 Clarendon Road): 68 violation points

1. Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
2. Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
3. Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
4. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
5. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
6. Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.
7. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
8. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
9. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
10. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
11. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

Valentine’s Pizza (1063 Bedford Avenue): 74 violation points

1. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
2. Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.
3. Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
4. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
5. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
6. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
7. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
8. Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
9. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Queens

Chifa (73-20 Northern Boulevard): 64 violation points

1. Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
2. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
3. Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.
4. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
5. Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
6. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
7. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
8. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
9. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Kulu Desserts (86-55 Broadway): 56 violation points

1. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
2. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
4. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
5. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
6. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

Laoma Malatang (136-20 Roosevelt Avenue): 59 violation points

1. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
2. Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
4. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
5. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
6. Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
7. Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Caribbean Roti Express (173-21 Jamaica Avenue): 39 violation points

1. Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
2. Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3. Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.
4. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
5. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
6. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.