Restaurant inspection shutdowns: KC-area eateries temporarily close to fix violations

Here are area restaurants that had to temporarily shut down for health code violations, with links to some original public record reports by city, county or state health inspectors.

Restaurants correct most violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly thereafter. Links to the follow-up inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations.

If an inspection or follow-up report needs clarification, restaurant and grocery store owners can call Joyce Smith at 816-234-4692 or email her at jsmith@kcstar.com. The Star will post appropriate responses in the same online locations as the original report.

The Kansas City Health Department cited these operations:

▪ Best Host Inn Plaza, 5701 Longview Road, after a July 8 inspection. Kitchen has not opened since the permit was granted and was personally being used by employees, according to the report.

The owners could not be reached for comment.

▪ Fuji Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, 5701 Longview Road, after a July 8 inspection. Kitchen has not opened since the permit was granted and was personally being used by employees.

The owners could not be reached for comment.

▪ Sharx Fish & Chicken, 8785 Blue Ridge Blvd., after a July 7 inspection. Person in charge left during the inspection and did not return. Wastewater was overflowing from the grease trap.

The owner could not be reached for comment.

▪ Starbucks, Crown Center, 2450 Grand Ave., after a June 25 inspection. Only one out of nine employees had a Food Handler’s card and there was not a certified manager in the food service area at the time of inspection so it was not in compliance.

In a statement, licensee Pat Khoury, said: “”We were 100% in regards to Food Handlers Cards during our initial preopening inspection. After opening, a few of our newly hired employees that were in training did not have their food handlers cards at that moment. Immediately following the inspection, that day, each employee completed their Food Handlers test .”

▪ Subway, 905 Broadway, after a July 1 inspection. It had no running water at the time of a reinspection and was serving customers. It had no critical violations during a July 2 reinspection and was allowed to reopen.

The manager didn’t return phone calls.

▪ Volleyball Beach, 13105 Holmes, after a July 8 inspection. Unable to maintain cold holding due to equipment in disrepair. It had no critical violations during a reinspection on July 9.

The owner said he had the cooler fixed that night and was allowed to reopen on July 9.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture cited this operation: .

▪ Subway, inside Walmart, 3300 Iowa St., Lawrence, after a July 10 inspection. The inspector noted sewage backup in the floor drain and traces of sewage backup had seeped into the dining room area leaving puddles throughout.

A Subway regional manager, Lorelei Steffen, said: “When we walked in first thing in the morning we saw what was going on, we notified Walmart management who was responsible for this stuff. I notified the responsible parties at Subway that we would not be opening for health and safety standards. I put signs on the doors, and I contacted the health department so they could help me get it corrected and the store remained closed. I had Walmart come in and professionally clean the floors as well. We cleaned and sanitized. We did a video conference and everything was up to code and everything was clean.”

It had no priority violations during a July 11 reinspection and was allowed to reopen.