Delhi Palace – Mice Palace, Roach Palace

Say what you will but something is seriously wrong with our Indian restaurants on 74th Street in Jackson Heights, NY.

Oh, we are talking about the hygiene situation in some of the Indian restaurants on 74th Street.

A few weeks back the New York City Health Department found live roaches and evidence of rats or live rats at Delhi Heights(12/28/2010) and evidence of rats or live rats at Tawa Tandoor (01/03/2011) Indian restaurants on 74th Street in Jackson Heights.

Now it is the turn of Delhi Palace which is located at 37-33, 74th Street, Jackson Heights.

A recent (01/19/2011) NYC Health Department Inspection of Delhi Palace found among other disturbing things:

* Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas
* Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas

Delhi Palace – Mice Palace, Roach Palace

Folks, as if the evidence of mice or live mice, live roaches is not sufficiently disgusting, the NYC Health Dept’s inspection report also cites more scary hygiene issues at Delhi Palace:

* Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
* Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
* Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
* Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

Delhi Palace received a whopping 55 Violation Points in its January 19, 2011 NYC Health Dept. inspection. But the restaurant has yet to be graded and go through the graded inspection of NYC Health Dept.

Here is the complete list of Sanitary Violations at Delhi Palace, according to the NYC Health Dept’s January 19, 2011 inspection report (Critical Violations in red color):

1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3) Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
4) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
5) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
6) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure to enable cleanliness of employees not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.
7) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
8 ) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
9) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.