Sunday, March 12, 2006

Three LaBelle Restarurants Cited Friday

LABELLE, FL.(March 11, 2006) -- Although state food safety inspectors are
supposed to check out restaurants food safety at least twice a year,
several LaBelle eateries escaped seeing inspectors for up to 18 months.
Catching the oversight, the Florida Division of Hotels and Restaurants sent
out Wayne Whitten, a state sanitary and safety supervisor to inspect Boo
Boo's Riverhouse (owned by Wrangler's Reef Inc.), Fortune Cookie of
LaBelle, and Hungry Howies Pizza and Subs (owned by Southwest Florida
Pizza, Inc.) All three restaurants were found violating many food safety
rules and Boo Boo's and Fortune Cookie were issued warnings to correct all
violations, including several "critical" ones, by April 10th.

Boo Boo's had not had an inspection since December 2004, and Inspector
Whitten, after spending over an hour at the restaurant Friday morning,
cited Manager/Chef Mike Rothenhoefer for nine food safety violations
including three "critical" problems. Whitten's reports showed that the
restaurant's fire suppression hood over the cooking area did not have
current certification and several hand extinguishers were not installed
properly and one even leaked. Documentation was also lacking for required
employee safety training. Soap and towels were not available at the sink in
the service station area and an open drink container was on a food
preparation table. At a bar, a drain line was missing and carbon dioxide
tanks at the bar and in the kitchen were not secured properly. Unshielded
lights were found in the kitchen and in service area.

Next Whitten visited the Fortune Cookie where the last inspection had been
in September 2004. 13 safety violations were cited including three
"critical." A warning was given have all corrected by April 10. Whitten
found no hot water at the service station and a sink not accessible. A
faucet was missing a nozzle. A mop with dirty water was outside back door
and bowls used in bulk food containers had no handles. Food and debris was
found on shelves over three sinks, and dusty walls in kitchen and dust over
the dishwashing machine were also cited. Unshielded lights were in the
kitchen and preparation areas and certification was not current on the
stove hood fire suppression system and hand fire extinguishers. The
emergency exit signs were not lighted.

Hungry Howies didn't receive a warning like the first two, but was expected
to correct nine violations by the next routine state inspection. Unlabeled
spray bottles were hanging near the dishwash area and no disposable towels
were at hand sink in dishwash area. No covered trash container in the
ladies room and damaged door gaskets in the cooler. An air conditioner pan
was leaking from the ceiling and thermometers were not conspicuously placed
in coolers. Two employees were not wearing hair restraints and very dusty
vents were spotted near damaged ceiling tile. Hungry Howie's manager Dale
Hoenie said a remodeling of the restaurant take place around May of this
year.

For local area restaurant reviews that can be updated by readers see
http://labellereviews.ning.com

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