14 Bloomington food establishments cited for health violations

Fourteen Bloomington food establishments did not fare well in the August health inspections conducted by the Monroe County Health Department. They were cited for critical health violations to be corrected as soon as possible.

Violations are considered critical if they are likely to contaminate food and affect customers. These may include handling food without gloves, soiled food preparation stations or foods kept at unsafe temperatures.

The health department recently released the names of the restaurants reported, including some of the most popular restaurants in Bloomington, such as Fortune Cookies, Uptown Café, Casa Brava and Pourhouse Café.

Pourhouse Café was cited for problems with their ice machine. The health report said the interior of the ice machine and the edges of ice machine were soiled.

“Our ice machine was broken, so we never really used it,” Kayla, an employee at Pourhouse Café, said. “We took a magic eraser and scrubbed it.”

Stone Cutters Coffee and Roastery was cited for unlabeled toxic chemicals, which the restaurant corrected during the inspection, as well as incorrect or missing labels on other food items.

“We were cited for things that could be immediately fixed, so that’s what we did,” Erin Jeffers, a manager at Stone Cutters, said. “The labels had faded over time.”

Fortune Cookies was also reported for not employing a certified food handler and for keeping food at improper temperatures. The manager was unavailable for comment.

Miranda Cascione, a sophomore, said she wouldn’t be too worried about eating at a restaurant where there had been a health violation if the restaurant as a whole seemed clean.

“It’s not necessarily affecting the food,” Cascione said. “I would take into consideration what kind of restaurant it is.”

Emily Selsky, also a sophomore, said she would go back to a restaurant even if it had been cited for a health violation.

“If it was a restaurant I really enjoyed I would definitely go back, just not right away,” Selsky said. “I would let some time pass to allow for the restaurant to clean up their act.”

HEALTH DEPARTMENT FINDINGS

Stone Cutters Coffee: Toxic chemicals not labeled but corrected during inspection, food date labels incorrect, some foods unlabeled

Sushi Bar: No certified food handler, improper storage of food

Fortune Cookies: No certified food handler, food kept at unsafe temperature

Uptown Café: Shellfish tags needed for possible allergies

Siam House: Foods kept at unsafe temperatures

Great Taste Buffet: Foods kept at unsafe temperatures, sanitizer concentration below required level in dish washer but corrected during inspection

Show Me’s: Foods kept at unsafe temperatures

Shin’s Family Restaurant: Gnat infestation, no certified manager

Bloomington Superior Fuel: Food kept at unsafe temperatures

McDonald’s (North College Avenue): Pickles and dried onions stored in hand sink

Great Wall: No certified manager employed, incorrect storage of raw meat

Casa Brava (West Third Street): Employee handling food with bare hands

Pourhouse Café: Interior of ice machine and edges of ice machine needed to be cleaned

Terry’s Catering: No certified food handler