Roaches Not The Only Problem At West Loop Restaurant
CHICAGO (STNG) -- A kitchen full of cockroaches led to the forced closure of a West Loop restaurant by city health inspectors on Friday, and the eatery was also cited for violating the city smoking ban.
Aroma on Randolph at 941 W. Randolph St. on the Near West Side was closed after Chicago Department of Public Health inspectors discovered a cockroach infestation and other critical violations of the city health code, according to a release from the department.
A customer who called to complain that she found a cockroach in her food prompted the inspection, which found dozens of live cockroaches in the kitchen, particularly in the drip pan of a stove, the release said.
The roaches were not alone, as inspectors also found houseflies and fruit flies in the kitchen, the release said.
They also found other health code violations, the release said, including:
-- raw sewage backing up from a floor drain in the basement kitchen,
-- no hand washing sink in the basement kitchen,
-- a non-functioning hand-washing sink in the kitchen on the main floor,
-- no soap or hand towels at any sink on the premises,
-- employees laying their shoes and clothing on top of plates and utensils, and
-- a poorly maintained outside garbage area (grease on top of and on the ground around the grease box).
Aroma on Randolph was also cited for two violations of the city's Clean Indoor Air Ordinance after inspectors found two dozen dirty ashtrays hidden behind the bar, the release said. The second citation was issued because management had failed to post “No Smoking” signs as required by the law.
The Aroma on Randolph web site states, “Our restaurant has a smoking area…” though smoking is prohibited in all restaurants in Chicago, and in Illinois.
Restaurant management will face an administrative hearing on Aug. 28 and pay fines expected to total $4,000 for the sanitation violations and at least $400 for the smoking violations, the release said.
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