A shocking Dirty Dining investigation by Local 10 News has uncovered alarming conditions in South Florida restaurants, even after they were shut down and later allowed to reopen.
Investigative reporter Jeff Weinsier visited three establishments cited for egregious food safety violations, uncovering stomach-churning conditions such as roaches, rodent droppings, and
unsanitary practices.
Hunan Wok: “All Clean,” But Evidence Says Otherwise
Hunan Wok, located at 407 East Sheridan St. in Dania Beach, was recently shut down for 11 violations, including live and dead roaches under the cooler, behind the freezer, and beneath the wok station. When Weinsier arrived, the back door to the kitchen stood wide open, surrounded by five rodent bait stations.
“Door is wide open,” said Weinsier. “Just shut down for roaches, rodent issues.”
Inside, a roach crawled across the floor, directly contradicting the employee’s assurances that everything was clean.
“All clean, you can see it,” the employee said.
Weinsier wasn’t convinced. “Is it clean? What happened last week? Based on a complaint? Someone complained.”
“I know,” the employee admitted.
As the investigation continued, a shocking discovery was made in the kitchen: a colander used to prepare food had been turned into a makeshift ashtray.
“There is a cigarette butt in here,” Weinsier pointed out. “I know you’re not open, but I wouldn’t necessarily throw a cigarette butt in a strainer. You know what I mean?”
Despite repeated violations noted by inspectors, including rodent droppings under the cash register and grease buildup, the employee maintained there were no issues. “No dirty,” he insisted, moments before another live roach was spotted.
Sushi Jungle: Over 100 Rodent Droppings Found
At Sushi Jungle in Doral, located at 8373 NW 12th St., a staggering 31 violations were cited, including over 100 rodent droppings found throughout the restaurant. Droppings were discovered near the sushi prep area, under the dishwashing station, and even on top of a bucket of sanitizer and a lid of detergent.
Weinsier asked the chef, “No one sees over 100 rodent droppings?” The chef appeared bewildered, repeatedly saying, “No, no.”
Additional violations included flying insects landing on prep tables, improperly stored food, and cutting boards soiled with mold-like substances. Despite the evidence, the chef showed little interest in addressing the concerns, saying in Spanish, “Yo comiendo” (“I’m eating”).
Weinsier replied, “I don’t care if you’re eating. No comment? Nothing to say about this?” The chef offered no response.
Ruby Chinese: Rodent Droppings on the License to Operate
At Ruby Chinese in Fort Lauderdale, located at 913 State Road 84, inspectors found rodent droppings in multiple areas, including shockingly atop the restaurant’s framed state license to operate.
When confronted, an employee refused to comment. “Unfortunately, at the moment, we would not want to comment on it, thank you.”
Weinsier pressed further: “Any reason why you wouldn’t want to tell the public, ‘We are sorry, we will do better?’”
The employee finally responded, “We will definitely improve. Definitely learned our lessons. It’s a hard lesson to learn.”