BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A restaurant that state inspectors were at 26 times last year is back in the spotlight again for all the wrong reasons.
Asian Buffet and Grill in Deerfield Beach was ordered shut again, but that's not all. A popular, upscale kosher market also made this week's dirty dining list.
Right outside the kitchen door, on the ground, was a clear indication of what's been going on inside at the Asian Buffet and Grill.
Ant and roach killer could be seen right outside the door.
"Can we talk to you?" Local 10 News investigator Jeff Weinsier asked.
"No, no, no. You go," an employee said.
Last week, a whopping 56 violations were found inside the kitchen, where inspectors were called to based on a complaint.
The Asian Buffet and Grill is located in a shopping center at the corner of Hillsboro Boulevard and Federal Highway.
Among the 56 violations last week were 100-plus live and dead roaches found at the cook line. They were under a prep table, on shelving, on a table with a slicer and in the dishwashing area.
A stop sale was issued for pork, oysters and tuna salad because they were out of temperature.
An employee was seen touching his face and arms, then handling food, and there was an objectionable odor in the restaurant.
Inspectors are very familiar with the Asian Buffet and Grill. State records show they were there 26 times in 2016. Nineteen of those visits were based on a complaint.
On Stirling Road, just west of Pine Island Road in Cooper City, is Aroma Market, an upscale kosher market.
"Take the camera away, please," a manager, Max, said to Weinsier. "I can talk to you but please take the camera away."
Aroma Market was ordered shut for a day and a half after 20 violations were found.
Max confirmed to Weinsier that the restaurant had a roach issue and that food was not at the appropriate temperature.
Max tried to point the finger at a vacant restaurant next door for his roach problem, but that restaurant has been vacant for two years.
Cooked onions, cooked salmon, cooked fish, cooked chicken and fried rice was all out of temperature.
"They stop sale and we dispose of them, because what happened is the cooler was not at the right temperature," Max said. "Technician came right away. We fixed the situation."
But live roaches were found behind a mixer, next to a bread machine.
Max said rabbis are there all the time to inspect the kitchen and to make sure kosher standards are being adhered to.
"These are kosher standards," he said. "We have rabbis here all the time. Kosher standards you cannot have roaches in the store. That's everyone's standards, but we are controlled by the city and rabbis, and unfortunately, that is what happens."
Both restaurants have been allowed to reopen following an ordered cleanup and reinspection.