This week’s Dirty Dining uncovered a disturbing mix of sanitation and food safety failures across South Florida, from roaches and flies to filthy floors, cross-contamination, and food left at unsafe temperatures.
One North Lauderdale restaurant was caught placing raw meat that had been dropped on the floor into a refrigerator with other meat.
A food truck in Miami-Dade was operating without running water or working coolers, while a Miami Beach kitchen had dead roaches inside its light fixtures and mold in its ice machine.
In Hialeah, roaches were crawling inside storage bins meant for takeout containers.
Below is a breakdown of what inspectors found.
All the places mentioned were allowed to re-open following an ordered cleanup and then a re-inspection.
**BISTRO CREOLE
7316 SOUTH GATE BLVD.
NORTH LAUDERDALE
INSPECTION BASED ON COMPLAINT
ORDERED SHUT 10/27
19 VIOLATIONS FOUND
“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. One live roach crawling on floor near entrance door to kitchen.”
“Dead roaches on premises. Throughout kitchen prep area, storage tables, stove, approximately 10 dead roaches on floor.”
“Food contaminated by un-sanitized equipment or utensil. See stop sale. At kitchen, Employee dropped raw meat on floor, then picked it up and put into refrigerator with other raw meat.”
“Food stored on floor. At kitchen, bags of Raw chicken, raw pork, raw turkey, sauces, pickles, stored on floor. Advised operator of proper storage. Operator moved items to refrigerator and onto shelf. At front counter, single service items, bottled drinks stored on floor.”
“Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Throughout kitchen, floors soiled with drippings from raw meat, and food debris. Repeat Violation.”
“Frozen time/temperature control for safety food being slacked at room temperature is no longer frozen solid. At kitchen, bags of raw pork, raw chicken slacking at room temperature, no longer frozen. Operator stated items held out of temperature approximately 1 hour.”
“Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. At kitchen, raw chicken (64F - Cold Holding); raw pork (77F - Cold Holding), cut lettuce (84F - Cold Holding) not prepared or portioned today. Operator stated items held out of temperature approximately 1 hour. Advised operator of cold holding parameters. Operator placed items into reach in freezer to quick chill. Repeat Violation.”
“Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. At kitchen, opened employee beverages stored on prep tables and shelves where food is stored or prepared. Repeat Violation.”
“Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. At kitchen, Employee handled raw food, then began preparing plates without washing hands. Advised operator of proper hand washing.”
“Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee wiped sweat from her face, then put on gloves without washing hands. Advised operator op proper hand washing.”
**IKRAVE
MOBILE
ORDERED SHUT 10/27
26 VIOLATIONS FOUND
“Cold holding equipment not maintained in good repair. Do not store time/temperature control for safety food in this unit until the unit is repaired. Inadequate number/capacity of cold holding units to maintain time/temperature control for safety food at proper temperatures. Observed ambient temperatures at 76°f. All reach in cooler units. Food truck does not have any other cold holding units to maintain food at the proper temperature.”
“Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed cooked oxtails (80F - Hot Holding); pork chop (120F - Hot Holding); salmon (125F - Hot Holding); Mac cheese (128F - Hot Holding); grits (119F - Hot Holding); raw chicken (52F - Cold Holding); raw pork (50F - Cold Holding); salmon (50F - Cold Holding); liquid eggs (52F - Cold Holding); raw tilapia (53F - Cold Holding); salmon salad (53F - Cold Holding); sausage (82F - Cold Holding); hot dog (59F - Cold Holding); sausage (60F - Cold Holding) as per operator more than four hours.”
“Employee eating while preparing food.”
“Floor not cleaned when the least amount of food is exposed.”
“Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris.”
“Employee touched bare body part and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands.”
“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Reach in cooler, oven, flat grill, fryer machine.”
“No running water at three-compartment sink.”
“No soap provided at handwash sink.”
**OVERTOWN HOUSE OF WINGS
1039 NW 3RD AVE.
MIAMI
ORDERED SHUT 10/29
12 VIOLATIONS FOUND
“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 4 live roaches crawling on the wall next to reach in cooler located in dry food storage area. Observed 4 live roaches on the floor next to fryer in the kitchen area.”
“Dead roaches on premises. Observed 2 dead roaches behind reach in cooler floor in the kitchen area. Observed 2 dead roaches next to mop sink floor in the kitchen area and 2 dead roaches on the floor behind 3 compartment-sink in the kitchen area.”
“Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. Observed Accumulation of grease behind fryers, kitchen area.”
“Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Throughout kitchen area.”
“Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 10-1-2025.”
41 MIAMI
TOWER 41
4101 PINETREE DRIVE
MIAMI BEACH
ORDERED SHUT 10/29
23 VIOLATIONS FOUND
“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 6 live roaches coming out of the wall and tile behind dishwasher area in the kitchen.”
“Dead roaches on premises. Observed approximately a total of 18 dead roaches inside the light fixture shields in the kitchen area.”
“Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Observed inside ice machine on the catch all soiled.”
“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed can opener soiled.”
“Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Observed ceiling tiles and vents in kitchen, prep and dishwasher areas soiled.”
“Clean utensils or equipment stored in dirty drawer or rack. Observe clean utensils sorted in dirty drawer of black storage trolley.”
“Clean equipment/utensils not stored at least 6 inches above the floor. Observed just cleaned and sanitized food pans placed on the floor by employee.”
“Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed male employee with no beard guard while prepping food.”
“Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed male employee with no hair restraint while cutting vegetables.”
“Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed utensil storage trolley soiled on top and inside drawers and the bottom shelves of prep tables.”
“Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed trays and food containers not sanitized as evidence of the high temp dishwasher is not reaching the temperature. Dishwasher was in use and the thermo labels didn’t change the color as specified in the instructions. Employee changed the water and then, sanitizing process was corrected. Thermo labels changed to the right color.”
“Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed a cleaning sponge inside the handwash sink at the coffee station.”
“Required employee training expired for some employees.”
**TEMAKI SUSHI FOOD TRUCK HIALEAH
7551 W. 4TH AVE.
HIALEAH
ORDERED SHUT 10/29
INSPECTION BASED ON COMPLAINT
14 VIOLATIONS FOUND
“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 10+ live roaches under front counter, 8+ live roaches in between the hand sink and wall, 6 live roaches underneath preparation table, 8 live roaches inside big plastic storage containers where to go containers are.”
“Dead roaches on premises. 20+ dead on the floor, one dead roach inside reach in freezer.”
“Live, small flying insects found, observed 10+live flies flying above preparation table.”
“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.”
“Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris.”
“Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed sweet plantain (100F - Hot Holding); rice (110F - Hot Holding), less than 4 hours as per operator. Operator reheated at 165°F.”
“No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees.”
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