A DOH inspector paid a visit to La Esquina Bar & Grill on First Avenue and East Sixth Street on Tuesday, and apparently didn't like what he or she saw… the restaurant is temporarily closed…
The inspector found 69 violation points … for things such as "Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas." (You can find the report at the DOH website here.)
Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill changed concepts/names to La Esquina Bar & Grill in March.
H/T Vinny & O
Not surprised, this corner has had some bad luck since the old Indian place Banjara closed down . The food handling in these burrito joints leaves a lot to be desired. Having ingredients sitting out in the open, where flies can land, and food sitting out at warm temperatures is a recipe for disaster. This is why more Chipotles are getting closed down by health departments around the country. The one on 110th St near Columbia University was closed by the DOH this summer after it got a whopping 90 points, and one on 72nd and Amsterdam was also shut down after badly failing an inspection.. The worst case was at a Chipotle in Simi Valley which was closed after 99 people got sick and ended up in the hospital. If you look at Chipotles in the city they regularly get cited for fies and filth from those overflowing garbage cans. But if they help control the student population maybe that's a good thing.
ReplyDeleteGiovanni said:
ReplyDeleteIf you look at Chipotles in the city they regularly get cited for fies and filth from those overflowing garbage cans. But if they help control the student population maybe that's a good thing.
Collateral damage, you mean.
They just have to adjust their advertising a bit.
ReplyDeleteLocally sourced specialties - burritos con evidencia de ratones o ratones vivos.
I don't see the problem.
I can never figure this place out or what they are trying to be. Does anyone know? They seem to change concepts/gimmicks or whatever you want to call it quarterly.
ReplyDelete@Suba Diva If that old saying "You are what you eat" is literally true, then most of the people who eat at these places are just walking mouse droppings.
ReplyDeleteI admit to eating at Chipotle a few times a couple of years ago when a friend insisted and there were few quick lunch options nearby. I thought the place was very clean and someone was always cleaning something but I'm not a health inspector. I hated that everything but the sour cream and cheese had raw onions in it. I also don't care to eat at chain restaurants however sometimes there is no choice.
ReplyDelete@ Giovanni- Eeeew gross!
ReplyDelete@Giovanni we are all walking mouse droppings. It's in everything we eat and there is no such thing as a "clean" restaurant in this city.
ReplyDelete@3:07 So true, we are all just part of one big animal waste recycling machine. It's just a matter of how much crap you want to eat. When the Dept. of Health says there's so much animal crap in a restaurant that they can actually see it with their eyes, I take my personal animal waste recycling machine elsewhere. There's only so much crap I can take, even in the East Village.
ReplyDeleteI went into this place on night looking for a quiet beer but my beer was sour, it had turned.
ReplyDelete