St. Petersburg's China Wok Chinese restaurant was cited for 29 violations in Pinellas County, FL

China Wok restaurant chickenPhoto byGoogle Reviews/Shab Sachedina

On August 7, 2024, China Wok, a Chinese restaurant located in Bay Point Plaza, St. Petersburg, Florida, received a warning and a follow-up inspection requirement from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation. The inspection at the Pinellas County, FL, restaurant revealed 29 violations, including 8 high-priority, 4 intermediate, and 17 basic violations.

However, a follow-up inspection on August 13, 2024, found that China Wok met inspection standards, but 7 violations still remained. The restaurant has a 4.1-star rating from 433 Google reviews.

A recent customer named Breigh Richardson, shared on Google Reviews:

Only spot my partner eats Chinese from. They have your normal variety of Chinese food but it’s still good.

What Happened During The Inspection: During the initial inspection, eight high-priority violations were noted, including unsuitable storage of medicine and dented cans of oyster and hoisin sauce.

Employees were observed handling food without washing hands, and raw animal foods were not properly separated, posing potential health risks. The presence of a live fly in the dining room, although not landing on food, was also recorded.

Intermediate violations totaled four, with issues such as blocked handwash sinks and a lack of date marking on ready-to-eat foods prepared more than 24 hours prior.

Meanwhile, there were more basic violations, with 17 infractions, including food stored on the floor, rusted cooler shelves, and a lack of proper labeling for employee personal food. The ceiling and floors were not maintained to standards, with grease and food debris accumulation noted.

As stated above, the follow-up inspection on August 13, 2024, indicated that China Wok met the inspection standards, although seven violations, including one high-priority one, persisted.

The Pinellas County restaurant's commitment to addressing these issues will be crucial for maintaining its reputation and ensuring customer safety.

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