Inspectors: Black Slime Drips Into Ice at Trinity; 'Excessive Food Debris' at Crossroads

Patch examined some of this winter's food inspection reports in Lincoln Park.

Information, which is dated May 24 to June 11, has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program.

Businesses can pass, pass with conditions or fail using a standardized procedure. Establishments that pass don't have any critical or serious violations. 
Those that receive "pass with conditions" had serious violations, but they were corrected during the inspection. 

Failed establishments had serious violations that weren't correctable during the inspection. A fail rating does not mean the business's license is automatically suspended.

All inspections are done on a routine canvass unless otherwise noted. 

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Trinity Bar, 2721 N. Halsted St.

Inspection date: May 24
Results: Fail.
Comments: Inspectors said the ice scoop must be stored in a clean container with sanitizing solution, rather than on top of the dirty ice machine. Waste drainage lines were needed on the soda gun holders in the back bar area. The fan in the employee bathroom was broken and a drain board was missing at one of the sinks. Three stoppers were needed for kitchen compartment sinks. A hole in the wall at a kitchen compartment sink needed sealing. The floor of the basement walk-in cooler was in "poor repair" and had exposed raw wood. There was no soap at one of the hand sinks and the inside of the ice machine was covered with a black slime substance that was  "dripping down into the ice," according to the report. There was no evidence of rodent proofing available to inspectors and 10 to 15 drain flies were found at the basement bar. A nozzle in the hand sink was covered with "encrusted dirt," inspectors said. Several other violations were also listed. The bar fully passed a re-inspection on June 4.

Range, 1119-1121 W. Webster St.

Inspection date: May 24
Results: Fail.
Comments: No violations are listed in the report.

Dawali Mediterranean Kitchen, 1625 N. Halsted St.

Inspection date: May 28
Results: Pass.
Comments: Employees were told to not reuse single-service utensils. The fry slicer and a table top can opener were in need of cleaning. Staff were told to stop using tin foil as a liner for shelving and to refrain from storing pre-set paper-lined bread baskets on top of each other. Light shields or shatter-proof bulbs were also needed above food preparation tables.

Amato's Pizza, 953 W. Willow St.

Inspection date: May 28
Results: Pass.
Comments: The inside of one of the cooks' line two-door coolers was in poor condition, according to the report. Exposed insulation was in need of repair or replacement. Staff were also told to provide interior thermometers in a conspicuous place.

Frances' Restaurant & Deli Inc., 2552 N. Clark St.

Inspection date: May 30
Results: Pass.
Comments: All previous minor violations were corrected, according to the report.

Domino's Pizza, 2231 N. Lincoln Ave.

Inspection date: May 31
Results: Pass.
Comments: Inspectors said the outside of the grease trap needed cleaning. They also asked that all corners of the floors and area underneath heavy equipment be detail cleaned. A light shield and self-closing bathroom doors were also needed.

Devil Dawgs, 2147 N. Sheffield Ave.

Inspection date: June 6
Results: Pass.
Comments: Ice scoops must be stored in a clean container, not on top of the ice bin, the report said. Staff were also told to store soft drinks 6 inches off the floor and 6 inches away from the wall for easy cleaning and pet monitoring. The inside panels of the ice machine in the back storage area needed cleaning, as well as a refrigerator/freezer in a basement office, the report said.

Crossroads Public House, 2630 N. Clark St.

Inspection date: June 10
Results: Fail.
Comments: A raw, wooden wall near the wall-mounted fry slicer needed painting/sealing. There were several open crevices in the metal wall at the mop sink and damaged or missing baseboard tiles near the back exit door. The inside of the tall reach-in freezer was covered with "excessive food debris," the report said. There was also no evidence of rodent or insect proofing. Several other violations were also listed, along with the fact that there were several violations identified in September 2011 that had not yet been corrected. Among those was that the plastic dish racks were blackened with dirt, the inside of an unused cooler was covered with food debris, the floor in several areas had food debris on it, there were missing soda gun drain lines at the main bar and an "extremely dirty" mop sink. There was also no hot water in the employee washroom.

Great Falafel, 500 W. Diversey Parkway

Inspection date: June 10
Results: Pass.
Comments: No violations are listed in the report.