DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – One South Florida restaurant was ordered shut for the fifth time last week. The state refuses to shut them down permanently, even though the fines and temporary closures don't seem to be working.
Local 10 News decided to take a trip to Asian Buffet and Grill (again) in Deerfield Beach after the restaurant recently received a slew of health violations.
“You have been shut down more than anyone else,” Jeff Weinsier said to workers at the restaurant. “You have had the most violations of anyone else, so I’m giving you the first Dirty Dining award.”
All they had to say was, "Thank you. Bye bye."
Weinsier wasn’t trying to make light of a very serious situation, but he said he just didn’t know what to ask them anymore, after having been to the restaurant over and over again.
It has received stiff fines by the state and lost revenue from being ordered shut, but it doesn’t seem to make cleanliness a priority.
The buffet, which is located in a shopping center at 240 South Federal Highway, had a visitor from a state inspector just last week following a complaint. That inspector order the place shut — again.
Among the 23 violations was a roach infestation. Live and dead roaches were found all over the kitchen and dining room.
A stop sale was issued on sushi rolls because flies were landing on them..
Food was out of temperature and there was mold in the ice machine. It is the fifth time since 2016 that the Asian buffet has been ordered shut by a state inspector.
In March, an inspector found rodent gnaw marks on corn in the kitchen and rodent droppings by a meat slicer and at the cookline.
Asian Buffet and Grill had the most violations of any restaurant in Broward in 2018, so it’s definitely on the state’s radar.
While the average restaurant is inspected twice a year, inspectors went to the Asian buffet 14 times in 2018 and seven times so far this year.