Caribbean, Italian eateries cited in West Palm, Boynton

Both restaurants are allowed to reopen after temporary closures.

State inspectors temporarily closed Let’s Dish Caribbean Restaurant in West Palm Beach and Josie’s Ristorante & Pizzeria in Boynton Beach last week after citing them for sanitation violations. Both have reopened.

Let’s Dish Caribbean Restaurant, 5083 Okeechobee Blvd., was shut down Feb. 12 after a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation inspector noted 33 violations, including live roaches in the kitchen.

The restaurant was permitted to reopen the next day although 31 violations remained. Kevin James, the restaurant’s owner, said Monday the violations have been corrected, and that the state gave him two weeks to fix everything.

Let’s Dish’s five high-priority violations, those that could contribute directly to a food-borne illness, included:

■ Operating with an expired license.

■ Cold foods held at greater than 41 degrees.

■ Raw eggs stored over cooked pork in a cooler.

■ Six live roaches found in the kitchen.

■ Wiping cloth sanitizer solution exceeded the maximum allowable strength.

Among the eight intermediate violations were an accumulation of a black/green moldlike substance in an ice bin, a lack of hot water at an employee handwash sink, failure to properly mark cooked foods with a date, and no proof of required state-approved employee training.

Intermediate violations are those which, if not addressed, could lead to risk factors that contribute to food-borne illness.

The inspector also cited Let’s Dish for 20 basic violations. Those included 14 dead roaches, a buildup of grease on range hood filters, and accumulated food debris on floors, a walk-in cooler, microwave interior and exterior, walls and ceiling tiles.

Other basic violations at Let’s Dish included failure to adequately secure helium tanks, a bag of rice stored on the floor, a cutting board that was no longer cleanable, no thermometer in a reach-in cooler, no probe thermometer for foods, an unsealed concrete floor, and food removed from its original container but not labeled.

The report also cited Let’s Dish for basic violations due to a plastic scoop without handles in rice and flour, lights missing the proper covers, back door screening that did not meet required standards, and for not having a copy of its latest inspection report available.

Josie’s, 1602 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach, was ordered closed Feb. 15 after an inspector tallied 12 violations, including rodent droppings.

The restaurant was permitted to reopen Feb. 16 although two violations were noted.

An employee said Monday that no one was available for comment.

Josie’s six high-priority violations included:

■ An employee grabbing cheese with his or her bare hands.

■ Cold foods held at greater than 41 degrees.

■ Food prepared from ingredients not cooled to 41 degrees.

■ Raw veal and raw fish stored over ready-to-eat pasta.

■ Rodent activity as evidenced by eight droppings found in the kitchen.

■ A stop sale issued for potentially hazardous food due to temperature issue.

Three intermediate violations included an accumulation of a black/green moldlike substance in the ice machine, a hand-wash sink not accessible for employee use due to items stored in the sink, and food prepared on site not marked with the date.

Basic violations at Josie’s were a hole in the wall, standing water in a reach-in cooler and food removed from its original container but not labeled.

A state inspector noted 33 violations at Let’s Dish Caribbean Restaurant, 5083 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, and 12 violations at Josie’s, 1602 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach.