Shaan Indian restaurant on E. 53rd Street in NYC has been closed by the New York City Health Department following an inspection on January 24, 2012.

Shaan NYC – Critical Hygiene Violations Galore

Folks, while closing Shaan NYC Indian restaurant on January 24, 2012, the NYC Health Dept. inspection report cited a galore of critical hygiene violations including evidence of rats or live rats, mice or live mice.

Critical violations marked in red color are:

* Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
* Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
* Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
* Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
* Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
* Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
* Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Shaan NYC – Other Hygiene Violations

Besides the above critical violations, Shaan NYC Indian restaurant also has following issues:

* Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
* Mechanical or natural ventilation system not provided, improperly installed, in disrepair and/or fails to prevent excessive build-up of grease, heat, steam condensation vapors, odors, smoke, and fumes.
* Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

Shaan NYC – Whopping 81 Violation Points

Shaan NYC received a Whopping 81 Violation Points in its January 24, 2012. health inspection.

Baluchi’s on 2nd Avenue (E.89th St) in Manhattan has Live Roaches.

Yes, that’s what the recent (Dec 23, 2011) New York City Health Department’s inspection unearthed at Baluchi’s Indian restaurant at 1724 2nd Ave (E.89th St):

Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Well, we suppose roaches are an improvement over the evidence of rats found in Baluchi’s previous inspection by the NYC Health Dept. (Dec. 7, 2011).

Baluchi’s ended up with a disgusting 98-violation points in the December 23, 2011 inspection.

Baluchi’s – Live Roaches, Filth Flies, 98 Violation Points

Baluchi’s Indian Food – Poor Hygiene

Besides the Live Roaches problem, the December 23, 2011 NYC Health inspection also uncovered filth/FRSA flies and potential food contamination issues at Baluchi’s:

Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

Baluchi’s Indian Food – Other Critical Violations

In addition to the live roaches, filth/FRSA flies, Baluchi’s at 1724 2nd Avenue in Manhattan also has the following critical violations:

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.

No facilities available to wash, rinse and sanitize utensils and/or equipment.

Baluchi’s Indian Food – More Violations

Further, Baluchi’s Indian Food also has following problems:

* Facility not vermin proof and harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

* Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

Baluchi’s Indian Food – Whopping 98 Violation Points

Not surprisingly, given the several critical violations Baluchi’s Indian Food received a whopping 98 Violation Points in its December 23, 2011 health inspection by the NYC Health Dept.

Bon appétit!

Related Stories:
Baluchi’s W.56th St: B-Grade Hygiene, F-Grade Food
Baluchi’s Rakesh Aggarwal: A Million $$ Nightmare

Besides the crappy food, diners at Tawa Tandoor on 74th St in Jackson Heights, NY now have to reckon with the problems of Rats and Live Roaches as well.

No kidding, folks.

Tawa Tandoor – Rats and Live Roaches

According to a recent (12-12-2011) NYCHealth Dept. inspection report, Tawa Tandoor on 74th St in Jackson Heights has:

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

Tawa Tandoor – Yeeks, Rats & Roaches

Tawa Tandoor – Other Critical Violations

Apart from the evidence of rats or live rats and live roaches, Tawa Tandoor has other critical hygiene problems marked in red by the NYC Health Dept.:

* Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
* Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.
* Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
* Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

Tawa Tandoor – More Violations

In addition,  Tawa Tandoor also has the following problems:

* Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

* Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

* Proper sanitization not provided for utensil ware washing operation.

Tawa Tandoor – 42 Violation Points

Tawa Tandoor received a whopping 42 Violation Points in its December 12, 2011 health inspection.

Bon appétit!

Related Stories:
Tawa Tandoor Jackson Heights Review – Crappy Food, Poor Service
Tawa Tandoor Jackson Heights has Flies

Delhi Palace on 74th Street in Jackson Heights has been closed again by the New York City Health Department following an inspection of this serial hygiene offender on December 5, 2011.

Folks, this is the fourth time in 2011 that Delhi Palace Indian restaurant has been closed by NYC Health Dept.

December 5, 2011 – Closed; Violation Points – 83
August 29, 2011 – Re-Closed; Violation Points – 35
August 24, 2011 – Closed; Violation Points – 56
February 3 2011 – Closed; Violation Points - 50

Unhygienic Delhi Palace – Closed Again by NYC

Delhi Palace – Live Roaches, Mice, Food Adulteration Issues

While closing Delhi Palace on December 5, 2011, the NYC Health Dept. inspection report cited a galore of critical hygiene violations:

* Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
* Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
* Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
* Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
* Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
* Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan.
* 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.
* Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
* Wiping cloths soiled or not stored in sanitizing solution.

Delhi Palace – Other Hygiene Violations

Besides the above critical violations, Delhi Palace on 74th St in Jackson Heights also has following issues:

* Facility not vermin proof.  Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
* Pesticide use not in accordance with label or applicable laws. Prohibited chemical used/stored. Open bait station used.

Delhi Palace – Whopping 83 Violation Points

Delhi Palace received a whopping 83 Violation Points in the NYC health inspection of December 5, 2011.

Just like its trashy record on hygiene and sanitation, Delhi Palace, going by our dining experience, serves some of the trashiest Indian food in Jackson Heights.

Delhi Palace Related Stories

Delhi Palace Review – Trashy Indian Food, Poor Service
Unhygienic Dump Delhi Palace Re-Closed by NYC
Unhygienic Delhi Palace Closed Again by NYC Health Dept.
NYC Health Dept. Closes Unhygienic Delhi Palace
Delhi Palace – Mice Palace, Roach Palace

Crappy Indian restaurant Tadka NYC on E 53rd St in Midtown Manhattan is the latest NYC desi eatery to shut its doors.

Tadka was part of Bollywood actor Shiva Natarajan’s restaurant chain.

Tadka Indian Cuisine’s web site has a notice that says:

Sorry We are Closed

The irony with Tadka NYC is that even a primary Takeout focus with limited dine-in could not save this Indian restaurant.

What then to think of the fate of all those full fledged NYC Indian restaurants and the ones newly opening.

Yes sir, we visited Tadka NYC and found its food to be mediocre accompanied by lousy desserts and poor service.

Here’s an excerpt from NYIndia’s review of Tadka NYC on E 53rd St:

Tadka gives its older sibling Chola a bad reputation.

…..If Chicken Kali Mirch was disappointing, Bhindi Masala put us in a rage. Bhindi Masala (sauteed okra, onions, bell pepper, tomato and ginger) is hardly an exotic Indian vegetarian dish and can be found at most Indian restaurants. But the inept chefs in Tadka’s kitchen couldn’t get this pedestrian item right. The Bhindi Masala that landed on our table was salty and far too sour to give us any satisfaction.

…..When we tried to order appetizer and desserts, our waiter kept repeating again and again like a parrot that they were not part of the lunch specials even after we told him that we understood that fact. We saw him doing the same with other diners as well. We were also irritated that he got us our check without asking us whether we wanted anything else.

Which NYC Indian restaurant is gonna bite the dust next? Watch this space.

Related Stories:
Tadka NYC Review – Disappointing Food, Lousy Desserts, Clueless Service

Good news!

Six Indian restaurants in Manhattan have received the A grade from the NYC Department of Health since November 1, 2011.

They are:

Hampton Chutney Co 464 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024
Kiran Indian Cuisine 401 W53rd St, New York, NY 10019
Tamarind 41-43 E22nd St, New York, NY 10010
Kabab & Grill 150 W36th St, New York, NY 10018
Banjara 344 E6th St, New York, NY 10003
Dhaba 108 Lexington ave, New York, NY 10016

Millions of New Yorkers and tourists heaved a collective sigh of relief yesterday.

Reason - Starbucks, which has made a healthy business of selling high-priced caffeine fixes to dumb schmucks and calling its low-wage workers by the fancy-sounding Partners, denied media reports that it was closing its restrooms to the public.

Starbucks was responding to a public furor over a report in Murdoch’s crappy rag New York Post that it was shutting its loos to the public.

In our not-so-humble view, the only reason worth visiting Starbucks is to use their loo.

Starbucks has about 190 centers in Manhattan.

Why, Oh Why?

Why don’t Kosher Indian vegetarian restaurants in NYC like Bhojan keep their premises clean?

For the second time in less than five months, the NYC Health Department has unearthed evidence of Live roaches in Bhojan’s food and/or non-food areas.

Disgusting!

Folks, if we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times – Bhojan on Lexington Avenue is a notoriously unhygienic NYC Indian restaurant, often faring poorly in NYC Health Department inspections.

Live roaches is not the only critical violation at Bhojan uncovered by the NYC Health Department in its inspection of this Lexington Avenue Indian restaurant on November 3, 2011.

Here are some of the other sanitary violations (critical violations in Red) uncovered by the NYC Health Dept during its inspection of the the serial hygiene offender Bhojan:

* Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.

* Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

* Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.

* Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.

Bhojan on Lexington Ave ended up with 21 violation points.

Dhaba goes from Shameful C to A

Meanwhile, Bhojan’s sister restaurant and Lexington Avenue neighbor Dhaba, which had a C-grade until recently, has managed to get the coveted A grade following an inspection on November 3, 2011.

Dhaba scored 10 violation points in the November 3 NYC Health Department inspection.

In the year ended May 2011, 18- to 24-years-olds visited restaurants 192 times each on average, down from 245 times five years ago, according to market researcher NPD Group. Among all potential customers, people averaged visiting restaurants 196 times this year, down from 208 in 2006.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Hamburgers, Fries and a Shakeout, Nov 1, 2011

Folks, there are 148 Indian restaurants in Manhattan.

Of the 148 odd Indian restaurants, 8 restaurants have the shameful C grade, the lowest hygiene grade issued by the New York City Health Department.

As all but the schmucks know,  NYC Health Dept issues grades based on hygiene and sanitary violations that a restaurant scores during its health inspections.

Restaurants with a score between 0 and 13 violation points earn an A, those with 14 to 27 points receive a B and those with 28 or more points get a C grade.

As of October 28, 2011, eight Manhattan Indian restaurants bear the shameful C grade issued by the NYC Health Dept.

Here is the list of C grade (poor hygiene) Manhattan Indian restaurants:

• Dhaba Lexington Ave issued C grade  on 4/27/2011

Dhaba Issued C-Grade on April 27, 2011

• Bombay Palace Midtown received C-Grade  on 8/23/2011

Bombay Palace Issued C-Grade on August 23, 2011

• Banjara East Village got C-Grade on 6/13/2011

Banjara Issued C-Grade on June 13, 2011

• Maharaja Palace Madison Ave issued C-Grade on 9/13/2011
• Larosh E29th St received C-Grade on 7/6/2011
• Masala Twist E Houston St received C-Grade on 7/14/2011
• New Shezan Restaurant Church St got C-Grade on 8/2/2011
• Ruchi Indian Cuisine Cedar St issued C-Grade on 8/26/2011

Related Stories:
NYC Diners Want Good Hygiene at Restaurants