PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — Several Palm Beach County restaurants had to temporarily shut their doors last week after state inspectors found serious sanitation and food safety problems during routine visits.
Belle & Maxwell’s, at 3700 S. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, was ordered closed on April 23 after inspectors documented eight violations, four of them high priority. Inspectors reported about 110 rodent droppings on the floor beneath reach-in coolers in the prep area and underneath a prep sink. They also observed a dishwasher handling clean dishes immediately after touching soiled items. Because of temperature issues, a stop sale was ordered on butter, vegetable soup, tomato sauce, ricotta, meatloaf, and raw chicken. The restaurant reopened the next day, April 24, after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
Brick Alley Tavern, located at 7366 Lake Worth Road in Greenacres, was shut down on April 21 following an inspection that found five violations, including four high-priority issues. Inspectors reported approximately 38 live roaches in several locations, including under a storage table, behind reach-in coolers along the cook line, and on a steam table that was not in use. Temperature problems resulted in a stop sale on cooked pasta, onions, mushrooms, sliced cheese, and ground beef, with additional time and temperature concerns involving chicken noodle soup. A follow-up visit on April 22 found one intermediate violation, allowing the restaurant to reopen…