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Six restaurants temporarily forced to close due to health code violations

The restaurants were as far apart as Davis Islands and St. Pete.
A state inspector found grease accumulations and roach droppings at Molly Malone's Irish Pub on Davis Islands.

TAMPA, Fla. — State health inspectors with Florida’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants temporarily closed down six restaurants last week due to serious health code violations deemed an imminent threat to public health.

On Tampa’s Davis Islands, Mollie Malone’s is a mainstay along the main drag, but on Halloween the Irish pub had some scary conditions inside the kitchen.

An inspector with the state reported finding grease accumulating under cooking equipment and up the walls and ceiling with roach droppings near the walk-in cooler and on the food prep table. The inspector also pointed out live roaches in the doorway to the walk-in cooler, hiding in the base of the can opener and crawling along the power cord for the toaster.

RELATED: Restaurant Red Alert: See emergency closures across Florida

RELATED: Hamburger Mary's in Ybor closing after Hepatitis A case

Across the Bay in St. Pete, Doe Does Diner on Bay Pines Blvd was shut down Oct. 30 with 26 violations. The inspector reported finding approximately 100 flies in the dishwashing area and more around where food was being made.

Records show there were potential cross-contamination issues with cod filets stored over the broccoli. There were also live roaches with the inspector reporting three under the prep table. The inspector noted that the operator killed one roach during the inspection and the restaurant’s pest control company was also on site at the time of the inspection.

Also, in St. Pete we have a pair of Restaurant Red Alert REPEAT OFFENDERS.

You may remember our previous reporting on Big Apple Buffet on 58th Street North. The state was back again last week shutting the place down with 25 violations including live roaches under the flattop grill in the hibachi area and at the sushi bar.

The inspector reports finding a dead rodent in the utility room with droppings behind the oven and ice machine. This was the restaurant’s third emergency closure since July.

Also, on our Repeat Offender List is Shark Tales on St. Pete Beach. That beach bar was shut down Oct. 29 with 16 violations. The state reports finding hot dogs under the raw fish in the walk-in cooler, live roaches on top of the freezer and under the microwave on the cook line, with rodent droppings found in the bar area.

The owner previously blamed the problems on his old building, which has now racked up six emergency closures over the past year.

Also, on St. Pete Beach, the Toasted Monkey Beach Bar and Sports Grill made headlines earlier in the week after a kitchen employee was identified with Hepatitis A. But it was the list of 34 violations that got the restaurant shut down by the state.

The inspector reporting having to educate a manager who lacked knowledge of foodborne illnesses that would prevent his employees from working with food. There were also temperature violations on the blue cheese and other homemade salad dressings, the hard-boiled eggs and raw hamburger patties.

Records show the inspector also discovered live roaches behind a box of tortillas, on the food prep table and under the dish racks.

And finally, last week in Hudson the Show Palace Dinner Theatre on U.S. 19 was shut down Nov. 1 with 11 violations. The issues included temperature violations on the cottage cheese and coleslaw with roaches found under the dish storage table and by the seasoning storage rack.

All six restaurants have since been cleared to reopen.

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