
Detroit's historical eatery Lafayette Coney Island has once again closed its doors temporarily to tackle an unwelcome return of a rat infestation. In an announcement shared by the Detroit Health Department, the popular restaurant has voluntarily ceased operation to correct health violations and devise a plan to prevent future issues. This is the second closure for Lafayette Coney Island in a little over two years due to similar circumstances.
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Denise Fair Razo, the Chief Public Health Officer, highlighted the health department's pledge to meticulously work alongside the establishment in order "to protect the public's health and ensure that the establishment meets all safety standards before reopening." The shutdown will allow Lafayette Coney Island to thoroughly clean the premises and seal all structural openings that could permit external access.
Reminiscent of past events, Lafayette's issues with rats first caught widespread attention following a viral video and subsequent health inspection back in 2022, which also unearthed evidence of rat droppings. The story garnered significant customer and media reactions, with customers like Dion Hastie even being quoted by FOX 2 Detroit stating, "I see rats, a mouse, Tom and Jerry," upon watching the disturbing footage.
The recent legislation introduced by City Councilman Scott Benson, which mandates restaurants to display a health inspection grade placard, seems to have yet inconclusively managed to stop these recurring incidents. The system, detailed by CBS News Detroit, was established to aid consumers in readily ascertaining the cleanliness and compliance of eateries with health standards. However, Benson had also optimistically remarked that doing the right thing for people's health "will translate into more dollars for our restaurant industry."
The closure, framed by Deadline Detroit as a remodeling initiative - with an unfortunate misspelling of "remodeling" on a sign affixed to the restaurant's door - indicates a disconnect between the gravity of the situation and the message it's attempting to send to patrons. Lafayette is a hallmark of Detroit's competitive and historically rich dining scene, once even earning recognition from Esquire magazine as a restaurant America couldn't afford to lose during the turbulent COVID era. The juxtaposition of such accolades with repeated infractions recalls the ongoing battle between maintaining legacy and ensuring public health safety.