Moldy tomato slices, 3-month-old salsa: Kansas City area restaurant inspections
From month-expired cheese to unidentified chemicals, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City area restaurants in recent weeks.
Dining establishments like sit-down restaurants, drive-thrus, gas stations and grocery stores are required to get food inspections, and governments have to release those inspections to the public.
In Kansas City, the city’s health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the state’s Department of Agriculture handles inspections. The lower the number of violations, the better.
Most restaurants correct violations at the time of the original inspection or shortly thereafter. The full inspections show how each establishment has corrected or is working to correct any remaining violations. They are available for Kansas City at inspectionsonline.us/foodsafety/mousakansascity/search.htm and agriculture.ks.gov.
Here are the restaurants in Kansas City and Wyandotte and Johnson counties that received seven or more critical violations or priority/priority foundation violations from July 6 through 12.
Wandering Vine (Wandering Vine at the Castle on Google)
- 12401 Johnson Drive, Shawnee
- 11 priority and priority foundation violations on a July 10 routine inspection
At the upscale restaurant inside a historic Shawnee castle, an inspector found containers of asparagus soup that was cooked more than a month ago. Winged insects floated in five bottles of liquor.
The results of the required follow-up inspection have not been published. Read the full report for Wandering Vine by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Carniceria El Torito IV
- 1327 E. Santa Fe St., Olathe
- 10 priority and priority foundation violations on a July 9 routine inspection
There was mold on sliced tomatoes at the Olathe Mexican grocery store and restaurant. Hot dogs, sandwich meats and bacon were too warm after a refrigerator was packed too full and didn’t keep items cold.
The results of the required follow-up inspection have not been published. Read the full report for Carniceria El Torito IV by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Blue Parkway Sun Fresh Deli
- 4209 Blue Parkway
- 10 critical violations on a July 12 routine inspection
Swiss cheese in the deli display had expired for almost a month at the grocery store on Kansas City’s east side. Multiple flies buzzed around the kitchen and there were two leaks in the dishwashing sink.
A follow up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for the Blue Parkway Sun Fresh Deli
One Stop (Deli)
- 4511 E. Truman Road
- 10 critical violations on a July 11 routine inspection
A sticky fly trap hung over the dishwashing sink of the gas station near Kansas City’s Blue Valley neighborhood. The inspector found too-warm raw chicken in the walk-in and buildup on the basin of the dishwashing sink.
The establishment corrected all the violations, according to a July 21 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for One Stop.
The Shack Breakfast and Lunch
- 9329 Harbinger St., Lenexa
- 10 priority and priority foundation violations on a July 9 routine inspection
At the Lenexa brunch restaurant off of I-435, the inspector found unidentified yellow liquid in a spray bottle, and the employee didn’t know what it was. One in ten food containers stored as clean had food debris on them.
The results of the required follow-up inspection have not been published. Read the full report for Shack Breakfast and Lunch by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Prime Sushi
- 4980 Main St.
- 10 critical violations on a July 8 routine inspection
The inspector found a pack of cigarettes sitting on a kitchen prep table at this sushi restaurant south of the Plaza. A missing ceiling tile exposed utility lines above the water heater. The men’s bathroom sink had “excessive white build up.”
The restaurant corrected all the violations, according to a July 16 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Prime Sushi.
The Village Cafe
- 1659 Washington; Kansas City, Kansas
- 9 priority and priority foundation violations on a July 8 routine inspection
There was “aged food debris” on the ceiling of the microwave at this Kansas City, Kansas, restaurant. Raw meat was stored above produce and cheese in the cooler.
The results of the required follow-up inspection have not been published. Read the full report for The Village Cafe by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
China Garden Buffet
- 5860 Antioch Road, Merriam
- 8 priority and priority foundation violations on a July 7 complaint inspection
Chicken was frozen inside of a “single use T-shirt plastic to-go bag” at the Merriam Chinese buffet. The inspector found “dried and wet food debris” on two knives and five metal pans.
A follow-up inspection has not occurred. Read the full report for China Garden Buffet by searching for the restaurant on the Kansas inspection lookup.
Just Chicken N Beer
- 7500 Oldham Road
- 7 critical violations on a July 10 routine inspection
The inspector found “pest droppings” in the women’s bathroom vanity in the Swope Park bar. Trash and unused equipment sat outside the restaurant, exposed to the elements.
A follow up inspection has not yet occurred. Read the full report for Just Chicken N Beer.
Poco Loco
- 6427 N. Cosby Ave.
- 7 critical violations on a July 8 routine inspection
Green salsa and enchilada sauce marked with a March date were found in the walk-in of this Northland Mexican restaurant. A bag of money and a box of gloves were stored inside the bar handwashing sink. A mop was “stored in soiled water” near the ice machine.
The restaurant corrected all the violations in a July 16 follow-up inspection. Read the full report for Poco Loco.
