South Florida's dining scene took a hit recently with multiple staple food joints closing temporarily due to health violations. Details from Local 10 reveal that establishments ranging from the historic Christine Lee’s to the popular food court vendor, Kelly’s Cajun Grill, faced shutdowns after inspections uncovered a slew of disturbing issues.
Christine Lee’s at Gulfstream Park faced a series of infractions, among them roach infestation, mold inside their ice machine, and improper employee hygiene practices, "Employee washed hands with no soap. Employee after wiping face proceed to washed hands without applying soap. Reviewed proper handwashing procedures." Kelly's Cajun Grill in Southland Mall racked up over two dozen violations that included rodent droppings and roaches, leading to its forced closure. An inspector, upon visiting the restaurant, found "more than 20 droppings under the soda machine located at the front counter." and even observed "a live roach crawling on the wall of the mop sink area located inside the kitchen," as described by Local 10.
All of the cited establishments were allowed to reopen following mandated cleanups and re-inspections, assuring that conditions met health and safety standards. In the case of Kelly’s Cajun Grill, a malfunctioning walk-in cooler was a significant issue, with the refrigerator only reaching a tepid 57 degrees, way above the prescribed 41 degrees or less needed to keep food safely stored. Numerous food items stored within were subject to "Stop Sales" and subsequently discarded, as detailed by the Miami Herald.
After a series of inspections, Kelly's Cajun Grill addressed their issues, albeit with lingering concerns. The walk-in cooler's persistent malfunction exemplified ongoing challenges, but the Miami-Dade area favorite managed to resume business shortly after. The storage rack at the walk-in cooler, and near a grill, was cleaned but still has an accumulation of soil residues. Meanwhile, the three-compartment sink continued to leak despite efforts to remedy the situation, as documented by the follow-up inspections.
