RED ALERT: Chinese/Latin restaurant still has violations after closure by state

10:11 AM, Nov 1, 2012 | comments

Tweet
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Google buzz
- Del.icio.us
- Digg
- Reddit
- Newsvine
- Buzz up!
- Fark it

- A A A +

Beau Zimmer

COMMUNITIES
USF-Temple Terrace

Video: RED ALERT: Chinese/Latin restaurant still has violations

Beau Zimmer Video Stories
More Beau Zimmer Stories

''Restaurant Ratings - look up your restaurant here

RESTAURANT RATINGS DATABASE: LOOK UP YOUR RESTAURANT HERE

TAMPA, Fla.- In the shadow of Busch Gardens, China Latina serves up a unique blend of Chinese and Latin cuisine.

"It's really good," said customer Kendrica Portorreoa. "They have all kinds of Spanish Latin food. You eat there, you feel like you're eating back at home."

But customers were unaware the Busch Boulevard restaurant was shut down by the state in October with 11 critical violations.

Look up restaurants in your area, click here

Among the problems were:

Temperature violations on the chicken and eggrolls
The walk-in cooler soiled with the accumulation of food debris
Egg rolls stored in reused plastic grocery bags
Approximately 80 roaches found running across the cook's line floor, on the clean dish shelf, even inside a box of plastic wrap

"That's terrible, man," said an upset Portorreoa.

The state allowed the restaurant to reopen this past week, so we stopped in to see for ourselves if the problems were really corrected.

At first reluctant, staff eventually agreed to let us in. We went straight for the hand sink, where we found plenty of soap for employees to wash their hands. But that was one of the few good signs we saw. All over the kitchen we found grimy conditions, including a refrigerator door with the handle so filthy it was actually sticky to the touch.

We also found food stored on the floor uncovered in the walk-in cooler and throughout the kitchen.

Unfortunately, some of the same violations documented by the state still existed on our visit, including egg rolls still stored in plastic grocery bags.

"If those things are going on they shouldn't be open," said Portorreoa, who seemed most concerned over the roach issue.

We told Portorreoa we didn't see any live insects, but did find a dead one. "A dead one? Shut them down!"

While some problems were corrected, many others remained. So, we declare China Latina this week's Restaurant Red Alert.

For more Restaurant Red Alerts click here

You May Also Like...

Bikini Photos: 2012 Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant

Not a good idea: Woman rides on top of manatee

Sex Offender Search: Look up Florida Sex Offenders here

Yowtch! Teen accidentally shoots off his penis, testicle

PHOTOS: NFL Cheerleaders

Star Sick: Justin Bieber throws up on stage during concert

Amazing Survival: Poodle hit by car, goes on 11-mile ride in grill