The latest city inspector to hit Newhallville’s controversial Taurus Cafe didn’t try to shut the place down this time — although the inspector did call attention to a wiener left overnight in the still-plugged-in cooker.
The closed and then reopened establishment at 520 Winchester Ave. has long been the focus of enforcement efforts by City Hall and police. But this latest inspection was routine — it was a city health inspection.
Melissa Bailey Photo
Regular patron “Rev” at the Taurus.
The Taurus passed the May inspection by scoring 84 out of 100.
Several food carts earned perfect scores in the latest round of inspections, including La Borinquena and Maharaja Grill #1, aka Curry in a Hurry. The still-new Rudy’s, which reopened in a new spot downtown last month, got a 90.
The lowest score went to Toral’s Restaurant in Fair Haven, which earned a 73.
Sanitarians at the city’s health department inspect all New Haven’s restaurants and groceries, from upscale bistros to the food carts at Long Wharf, anywhere from once to four times a year. Restaurants with a grade of 80 or below are given two weeks to improve before a second inspection visit. The department can close a restaurant regardless of score in the face of immediate dangers to public health.
Inspectors also check on public school food operations twice a year.
The sites below were inspected by New Haven’s Environmental Health Department from May 2 – 20.
May 3
Rudy’s, 1227 Chapel St.
Score: 90/100
Corrections due: ASAP
• Clean table with condensers, area around syrup boxes, etc.
• Clean door of ice machine.
• Clean wire racks in basement.
• Thorough cleaning of floor necessary throughout.
• Thorough cleaning of all equipment and shelves necessary throughout.
• Provide a sweep on door in kitchen.
• Eliminate all necessary articles.
• Hot water in bathrooms at 128 degrees, must not exceed 115 degrees.
• Provide probe-type thermometers for testing food temperatures.
Taurus B Cafe, 520 Winchester Ave.
Score: 84/100
Corrections due: 7/5
• Missing thermometers in beer/ fruit coolers.
• Straws not individually wrapped.
• Tops of beer cans not clean.
• Mold inside a machine, rust also.
• Missing lightshields on bulbs outside and behind bar.
• Two three-bay sink stations; one bay needs to be designated handwash sink only.
• Fruit holder not clean.
• Hot dog cooker with burnt in rack and floor.
• Hot dog left in hot dog cooker overnight; cooker left on.
• Plastic bottles of liquid missing labels.
May 4
Kasbah Garden, 105 Howe St.
Score: 83/100
Corrections due: ASAP
• Clean floors under and behind equipment.
• Rodent droppings; provide extermination program monthly.
• Provide lightshields on bulbs in stand-up refrigerator.
• Rusty shelf under stainless.
• Clean storage shelves.
• Stained ceiling tiles.
• Replace broken lightshield.
• Don’t store knives between equipment.
• Store single-service articles inverted.
• Properly label food product out of original containers.
• Properly label toxic items, spray bottles.
• Eliminate all unnecessary articles.
• Soiled rug.
May 6
Toral’s Rest, 549 Ferry St.
Score: 73/100
Corrections due: 5/13
• Hand sink in kitchen not clean.
• Beef in pan on counter at 50 degrees; cooked rice in pot on counter at 50 degrees.
• Dirty wiping cloths.
• Containers of food not covered.
• Floor in disrepair in kitchen and not clean in walk-in.
• Roaches in kitchen.
• Hand sink by cooking area blocked with baby items.
• Pans of food in walk-in not clean.
• Outside of stove (handles) sticky.
• Storage area filled with boxes, cans, equipment; containers of oil and water in buckets.
• Boxes not broken down and placed in dumpster.
• Missing thermometers in refrigerated units.
• Hand soap dispenser stopped up in women’s bathroom.
• Baby and baby crib in kitchen with bottles, diapers, etc.
• Pan of granular not labeled.
• Rear yard filled with unnecessary equipment.
Wok #1, 37 Lombard St.
Score: 79/100
Corrections due: 5/18
• Containers of granular need new labels.
• Uncooked chicken stored in walk-in over uncovered bucket of sauce.
• Large pan of cooked yellow rice covered with apron.
• Wiping cloths under cutting boards.
• Reusing plastic bottles as scoops.
• Dirty wiping cloths on counters.
• Placing foil on shelves of rolling cart.
• Re-using cardboard to line storage shelves.
• Exterior of pans by stove not clean; stovetop not clean.
• Cardboard boxes piled up in basement.
• (Need) dish soap at hand sink in kitchen.
• Rear door propped open.
May 11
Wilbur Cross Culinary Arts Department, 181 Mitchell Dr.
Score: 87/100
Corrections due: ASAP
• Provide paper towels at hand sink.
• Repair or replace broken paper towel dispenser.
• Clean floors under and behind equipment.
• Store utensils with handles facing same direction, if stores in container all handles must be facing up.
• No dishwasher chemicals, dishwasher not being used.
• Clean floor in storage room.
• Rodent droppings present in storage room.
• Provide thermometers inside all cold holding units.
• Properly label food product out of original containers.
• Eliminate soiled cardboard on bottom shelf of storage cabinet.
• Provide lightshields on overhead bulbs on hood.
May 13
Southern Hospitality Soul Food, 427 Whalley Ave.
Score: 91/100
Corrections due: 8/13
• Potato salad in service line at 57 degrees; collard greens on counter at 92 degrees (destroyed).
• Service line hand sink storing utensils.
• Cooked chitlins at 100 degrees stored on counter (destroyed).
• Wiping cloth lining tray.
• Palat [sic] a tripping hazard — refinish and relocate.
• Mops and broom stored on ground.
• Dirty line storage on sidewalk.
May 19
Dayton Street Pizza, 60 Dayton St.
Score: 80/100
Corrections due: 6/2
• Missing labels on squirt bottles of liquid and container of granular.
• Tomato sauce in warmer at 85 degrees.
• Cooked meatballs in warmer at 11 degrees (destroyed).
• Missing lighshields in white freezers.
• Foods (tomato sauce) uncovered in reach-ins.
• Kitchen handwashing sink used to store dirty pots and pans.
• Missing paper towels at hand sink in kitchen.
• Food worker eating at food prep counter.
• Walk-in serving as a reach-in refrigerator — cases of food packed floor-to-ceiling, front-to-back.
• Meat stored in black garbage bags, with no wrapper.
• Front door propped open.
• Qualified Food Operator not present — no certificate posted.
May 20
Pepe’s Open Air Market, 61 Kimberly Ave.
Score: 81/100
Corrections due: 7/20
• Lunch meat left out on counter; sliced tomatoes on counter at 67 degrees.
• Missing lightshields overhead in kitchen and retail areas.
• Bottles of liquid not labeled.
• Health items (Robitussin) on shelf with food.
• Pans of food in deli cooler, stacked on top of each other.
• Tops of products not clean.
• Floor-wall juncture in disrepair by dog food.
• Flies present.
• Wall by deli cooler not clean.
• Missing Qualified Food Operator certificate.
• Some food items appear old — bagged popcorn, severely dented can of salmon.
Note: Cold sandwiches only until QFO on file at Health Department and posted.
In NY I noticed that restaurants based on their inspection get a letter grade that is posted for all on entrance doors/windows for all to see. Are they doing this here in New Haven? If not, they should. Patrons should know how the restauants are doing when it comes to inspections.