The popular Brocato’s Sandwich Shop in Tampa, Florida has been hit with 226 Health and Safety violations in just 11 months, prompting some to wonder whether they'll ever eat there again.
The restaurant, on 5021 East Columbus Drive, was first written up at the beginning of February 2015.
State inspectors returned 12 times for follow-up inspections, ultimately handing out 226 violations, reported ABC.
The inspectors at one point ordered a stop-sale on 10 pounds of Spanish bean soup, 10 pounds of cooked green beans, and 10 pounds of black beans because they were improperly cooled and at dangerous temperatures.
They also found cold food such as cheese, chicken, and crab meat at temperatures that could make people sick—all cold food should be at 41 degrees or lower.
Owner Michael Bracato, though, insisted that all of the problems have been corrected.
“It’s a big concern for the public but we’ve done all of our issues with that,” Brocato said.
Most of the violations stemmed from renovations that weren’t approved by the state, he added.
“We acknowledge the fact that there have been administrative complaints filed against us. Most of those complaints were corrected on sight, with an inspector present. However, some corrections take a longer time to process, therefore, not all complaints have been rectified. Some of these administrative complaints are due to the fact that we have a building that we have worked out of since 1948. As the business has grown over the past 68 years, we have had to make improvements and changes to meet current codes,” Bracato added in a statement.
“These corrections have proven to be costly and timely. We are doing everything possible to work with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. We appreciate the hard work and effort that these inspectors do every day and their assistance in helping us to meet all inspection codes. Through the years, we have always had an open door/open kitchen policy. Customers can see the kitchen and watch their food being prepared, while they wait for their order. As always, we will continue to provide the best product for our customers, as we correct these administrative complaints.”
Some people say they won’t eat at Bracato’s anymore, but many will still dine there. The joint has great reviews online, with overwhelmingly positive feedback.
“The food is good and the prices are right!” exclaimed one Yelp user.
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