Seven restaurants, hotels and other businesses in Wichita were out of compliance during food safety and lodging inspections conducted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture July 28 to Aug. 3.
They were cited for a number of violations, including having expired medications for sale, foods at risk of contamination because they weren’t properly covered or stored, ants crawling around a coffee station, a dumpster full of discarded food that was attracting flies under an open window, roaches on an ice machine and black specks in the ice, food in a sink with a direct connection to a sewage system, greasy floors, flies on surfaces that touch food and more, according to inspection reports.
Information about the food establishments and hotels and motels, as well as a summary of their violations, appears below. The list includes inspections conducted in Sedgwick County. It was compiled on Aug. 8.
More than 40 establishments passed inspections during that same time. A list of those also appears below. Some may have been non-compliant in previous weeks.
Business owners or managers can contact Eagle reporter Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com to comment on inspection results that appear in this story. Comments will be added to the online version of this article.
More details about inspections are in The Eagle’s searchable database of non-compliant restaurant and hotel inspections at www.kansas.com/databases.
Out of compliance inspections
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Wichita East, 333 S. Webb in Wichita — Three violations on July 29 during a routine inspection. Large bowls of fruit and apples in the breakfast area weren’t covered or individually wrapped to protect them from contamination, expired Benadryl for sale, no probe-style food thermometer. Next inspection: Aug. 9.
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Wichita East, 411 S. Webb in Wichita — Four violations on Aug. 2 during a routine inspection. Apples in the breakfast area weren’t covered to protect them from contamination, no sanitizer testing strips on site, “about 20 live ants” at the coffee station, no probe-style food thermometer. Next inspection: Aug. 12.
Pizza Hut, 1708 E. Pawnee in Wichita — One violation on July 30 during a follow-up inspection. The right three-quarters of a refrigerated preparation table wasn’t working so several foods including meats and vegetables weren’t cold enough. Next inspection: Sept. 2.
Super Mercado Del Pueblo, 2128 N. Broadway in Wichita — Four violations on Aug. 2 during a modified complaint inspection. A dumpster full of discarded food and flies was directly under an open window that had no protection on it to keep the bugs outside, flies around the dishwashing area were near ready-to-eat food items that had no coverings to protect them from contamination, flies on several packaged food items, cases of spoiled produce “were heavily contacted by flies” and fruit flies, dirty items were sitting in a sink that’s supposed to be used only for washing hands. Next inspection: Aug. 12.
Tom’s Lotus Garden, 822 S. Broadway in Wichita — Eleven violations on July 30 during a routine inspection. An inch-wide gap around a screen door can let pests in the building, the restaurant didn’t stop operating and notify the department of agriculture that it had an “imminent health hazard” due to a pest infestation, several foods in refrigeration including pork and shrimp weren’t labeled with their preparation dates, dozens of roaches were scattered throughout the restaurant including in a dry food storage area and in areas where clean dishes are stored, broken and unused equipment is cluttering the basem*nt, dirty handles on kitchen hand-washing sink, a bottle of degreaser wasn’t labeled, a glue trap with at least 50 roaches on it was sitting on top of the ice machine and several pieces of ice in the machine had black spots on them, garlic and oil mixture was sitting out at room temperature when it should be refrigerated, raw shrimp and rice noodles were sitting in sinks that have a direct connection to the sewage system, the restaurant “needs a deep clean to remove grease and food debris from the floors under equipment.” The restaurant voluntarily shut down over the violations. It was still out of compliance, with one violation, during a reopening inspection on Aug. 5.
Wendy’s, 555 S. Broadway in Wichita — Four violations on July 31 during a routine inspection. Vegetables and cheese for sandwiches weren’t labeled with the time they were removed from refrigeration, “heavy grease buildup” on floors and walls around grill, no soap at hand-washing sink, “approximately a dozen flies in the kitchen landing on” surfaces that touch food, flies in men’s bathroom. Next inspection: Sept. 10.
Wichita Inn, 8220 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Two violations on Aug. 2 during a routine inspection. A gallon of milk wasn’t labeled with its opening date, yogurt wasn’t cold enough in refrigeration. Next inspection: Aug. 12.
Bodily fluids. Bloated chicken. co*ckroaches. Wichita KS restaurant, hotel inspections
co*ckroach in gravy. Bed bugs. Dirty kitchen. Wichita KS restaurant, hotel inspections
How do businesses fail inspections?
Businesses fall out of compliance when they have too many violations, issues that can cause a foodborne illness, when a problem can’t be fixed right away, such as bug and rodent infestations, and more. But most violations are minor and are corrected while an inspection is taking place.
Typically, establishments are reinspected within 10 days to ensure they are following the rules.
It’s rare for a business to shut down over a failed inspection. But it can happen. Usually, closures are voluntary and due to major things like sewage backups, pest problems, and water or power outages. Typically, they are temporary.
The lists in this story only include businesses from Sedgwick County. But you can search food and lodging inspection results anywhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Complaint? Here’s where to submit it
If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.
To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a complaint at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.
Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at www.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
These businesses passed inspections
360 Deli & Grill, 11309 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita
86 Cold Press, 1948 E. Marion in Wichita
Atomic Dog 316 (mobile vendor/food truck), 2111 E. Ventnor in Wichita
Auto Motel, 1230 N. Broadway in Wichita
Casey’s General Store, 3520 N. Woodlawn in Wichita
Chicken N Pickle (Hangar), 1240 N. Greenwich in Wichita
The Cornerstone of Clearwater, 800 E. Ross in Clearwater
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Wichita, 4875 S. Laura in Wichita
Decarsky Park Concession Stand, 1600 E. Line Drive in Derby
Dillons, 640 N. West St. in Wichita
Dollar General Store, 5500 N. Maize Road in Maize
El Amigo Food Truck (mobile vendor/food truck), 2401 N. Payne in Wichita
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, 2100 N. Rock Road, Suite 1000 in Derby
Frontier Motel, 1623 S. Broadway in Wichita
Ginger Asian Cuisine, 19894 W. Kellogg Drive in Goddard
The Icy Trail (mobile vendor/food truck), 1433 E. Windmill in Derby
Industry Old Town, 126 N. Mosley in Wichita
Kelly’s Family Diner, 2131 S. Broadway in Wichita
Kelly’s Sweet Creations, 2726 N. Amidon, Suite 100 in Wichita
Little Caesars Pizza, 1444 N. Maize Road, Suite 100 in Wichita
Livingston’s Diner, 9747 E. 21st St. in Wichita
Mark 8 Inn, 1130 N. Broadway in Wichita
Master Wok, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive in Wichita
Motel 6, 607 E. 47th St. South in Wichita
New China Buffet, 4858 S. Broadway in Wichita
Paleteria La Reyna, 2925 N. Arkansas in Wichita
Panera Bread, 1500 N. Rock Road in Derby
Premier Food Service at Cushman & Wakefield, 128 N. First St. in Colwich
Premier Food Service at Evonik, 6601 S. Ridge Road in Haysville
Premier Food Service at Orchard Gardens, 1600 S. Woodlawn in Wichita
Premier Food Service at Rock Regional Hospital Cafe, 3251 N. Rock Road in Derby
Premier Food Service at The Tap of Kansas, 620 S. Washington in Wichita
Pizza Hut, 3960 N. Maize Road in Maize
Premier Food Service, 8225 W. Irving in Wichita
QuikTrip, 2801 S. Hydraulic in Wichita
QuikTrip, 3945 S. Meridian in Wichita
QuikTrip, 2106 S. Rock Road in Wichita
QuikTrip, 5611 S. Broadway in Wichita
Regal Warren East 20, 11611 E. 13th St. in Wichita
Rolling Hills Country Club, 223 S. Westlink in Wichita
Sabor Catracho, 1770 N. Broadway in Wichita
SAM Pizza inside Towne East Square, 7700 E. Kellogg Drive, Suite 1300 in Wichita
Spangles, 612 S. Broadway in Wichita
Super 8 by Wyndham Wichita South, 4848 S. Laura in Wichita
Taco Shop, 1010 E. Harry in Wichita
Wasabi Hinkaku, 912 E. Douglas in Wichita
Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.
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