CLEARWATER, Florida— It’s an Indian restaurant known for their massive buffet, but humans weren’t the only ones visiting for a meal.
Health inspectors shut down Indian restaurant Deccan Spice on Ulmerton Road in the Feather Sound area of Pinellas. The restaurant was shut down May 24 with 36 violations.
Among the issues:
- An employee preparing food without a hairnet
- A gap at the bottom of the back door leading to outside
- Food stored on the floor
- And flies in the kitchen and around the bar
The inspector also discovered evidence of rodent activity, with nearly 100 fresh droppings on the same shelf with clean dishes, in the food storage area, and under the soda rack.
The restaurant was ordered to throw out a 40-pound bag of rice after the inspector reported discovered chew marks and a hole in the bag with more rodent droppings nearby.
On Wednesday, 10News stopped by the restaurant before lunch and asked a man on the management team if we could be allowed to inspect the kitchen.
“I can’t … Right now the kitchen is busy,” said the employee who also refused to give his name. “I can’t do it.”
The employee did say the issues discovered as part of last week’s inspection were now taken care of.
“We did what we could according to the health inspector’s instructions,” said the manager. Whatever we had to do, we did it. I have to get back to work.”
We shared the restaurant’s list of violations with customers.
“Of course it’s of concern. Does it need to be corrected? Of course it needs to be corrected,” said local attorney Rich Catalano, who eats at Deccan Spice with his family and friends. “If that place is open and it’s been cleared, I assume it’s one of the cleanest places in all of Pinellas County.”
And while Catalano decided to give the restaurant another try, other customers might be left in the dark because the restaurant refused to show a copy of their latest inspection as required by Florida law.
“I don’t have it with me right now,” said the manager. “I have to get back to my work… so let me get back to my work.”
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