The NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Jan 24 - Jan 31

NEW YORK — Filth flies, roaches, mice and unwashed hands — restaurants across the city have dirty secrets they’d rather you didn't know about. Fortunately for the diner’s well-being, New York City’s Health Department is watching.

Every year, inspectors go unannounced into more than 24,000 restaurants in the city. Of them, the majority are fine, but some fall disgustingly short of the city’s cleanliness requirements.

The most common violations, according to the city, are food stored at wrong temperatures, vermin, "plumbing" issues (the mind boggles) and basic food safety protocols not being followed.

Every week, Patch will tell you which restaurants have gotten the chop in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn – try not to read over your lunch break.

Inspection scores above 28 earn eateries a C grade and extra close monitoring from the city’s health department – which could decide to shut it down.

These are the restaurants closed down since Jan. 24, 2020, according to the Department of Health:

Manhattan:

DAVID'S TEA

688 SIXTH AVE

Violation points: 53

• 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.
• Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• 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.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• 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.

JULIANO'S ESPRESSO BAR

1378 LEXINGTON AVE

Violation points: 42

• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
• 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.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Brooklyn

HO MEI CHINESE RESTAURANT

222 MALCOM X BLVD

Violation points: 46

• 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.
• Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
• 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.
• 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.
• Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
• Single service item reused, improperly stored, dispensed; not used when required.

Queens

None listed.