Iyanze Restaurant Followup

Iyanze, the still-new West African-style restaurant in Uptown, Chicago was propping open its rear door, a violation of Chicago health code. Their dumpster was overflowing and unsecured, another violation. In our report on June 1 (see original report here), we reported that Iyanze restaurant, 4623 N. Broadway, was violating Chicago health codes by leaving their back door open with an overflowing dumpster nearby. A 311 operator told me that a health inspector gave Iyanze a "pass" on June 3, 2009. Subsequently, Chicago News Bench revisited Iyanze's back door and found that they now have a screen door installed. Now, vermin cannot enter through the propped-open rear door. However, we also found that the dumpster is still frequently filled over capacity and the lid is not closed flush with the top of the dumpster. Although the door issue seems to have been resolved, the issue of the dumpster remains open (no pun intended). See Comments... Visit Our Online Store Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

UPDATED - Iyanze Uptown Violating Chicago Health Code

UPDATED - June 13, 2009 In our original report on June 1 (below), we reported that Iyanze restaurant, 4623 N. Broadway, was violating Chicago health codes by leaving their back door open with an overflowing dumpster nearby. A 311 operator told me that a health inspector gave Iyanze a "pass" on June 3, 2009. Subsequently, Chicago News Bench revisited Iyanze's back door and found that they now have a screen door installed. Now, vermin cannot enter through the propped-open rear door. However, we also found that the dumpster is still frequently filled over capacity and the lid is not closed flush with the top of the dumpster. Although the door issue seems to have been resolved, the issue of the dumpster remains open (no pun intended). ORIGINAL POST: Chicago - June 1, 2009- by Tom Mannis - An exclusive investigation by Chicago News Bench (CNB) has documented repeated health code violations by Iyanze, a West African style restaurant located at 4623 N. Broadway in Chicago's northside Uptown neighborhood. CNB's investigation indicates that at least two "critical" violations and two "serious" violations were committed. Exclusive photos (slideshow below) document the violations during the period of May 23 through May 31. During that period, Iyanze's rear door was frequently left open for hours on end, with no screen or any other barrier to prevent rats, mice, insects and other vermin from entering. The kitchen area was left exposed to the elements, dust and other contamination. Next to the open door, a dumpster was usually filled over capacity and its cover was not tightly closed, as required by law. Iyanze was issued its "retail food establishment" license on April 6, 2009. It passed a restaurant inspection on March 12, 2009, weeks before it opened. Iyanze is owned by Bolat African Cuisine, Inc. Here is a summary of the specific health code violations that we observed (violation text source): V4 - All food shall be protected from contamination and the elements, and so shall all food equipment, containers, utensils, food contact surfaces and devices, and vehicles. (CRITICAL) The wide-open door that CNB observed allowed contamination, the elements and vermin entry to the kitchen area of the restaurant, including "all food equipment, containers, utensils, food contact surfaces and devices, and vehicles." V13 - All necessary control measures shall be used to effectively minimize or eliminate the presence of rodents, roaches, and other vermin/insect infestations. (CRITICAL) One "necessary control measure" would be to keep the back door closed when not being used to exit or enter the building; rodents and other vermin are attracted to overflowing dumpsters with loose lids. Our photos show that these measures were not adhered to. V18 - All necessary control measures shall be used to effectively minimize or eliminate the presence of rodents, roaches, and other vermin and insects on the premises of all food establishments, in food-transporting vehicles, and in vending machines. (SERIOUS) Again, CNB's photos show that with the door left open for hours at a time, and a loose lid on an overfilled dumpster, not "all necessary control measures" were used. V20 -All garbage and rubbish containing food wastes shall, prior to disposal, be stored in metal containers with tight fitting lids and shall be kept covered except when opened for the disposal or removal of garbage. (SERIOUS) As stated above and shown in our photos, Iyanze was clearly violating this part of the code. Leave a Comment Here... See our cool merchandise... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Hey! ChiNewsBench is on Twitter

Updated: Sticky Rice Chicago Restaurant

UPDATE, FEB. 2012:  Today, Sticky Rice restaurant, at 4018 N Western Avenue in Chicago, gets good reviews on Yelp and Zagat.  I want to make it clear that the incident of 2009 has long been resolved.

This post was originally published in May, 2009 with the headline "Sticky Rice Chicago Shut Down by Health Inspectors for Critical Violations." That was a long time ago, and those violations have long since been cleaned up. Today, Sticky Rice is a much respected eatery. 

Heartland Cafe's Inconvenient Truths

That big, bright green "LICENSE SUSPENDED" sign is the Big Fear of any restaurant owner, but they only get it if they're running an unhealthy dining establishment. (Click images to enlarge them.) In this photo, taken on Saturday, March 14, owner/partner Michael James stands near the front door, on which the City of Chicago slapped one of those signs last Thursday night/Friday morning. Even though the sign is a nice green, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, there wasn't much festivity at the Heartland Cafe. Friday the 13th was unlucky for them, as it was closed down by the city for having mouse feces "throughout" the place, refrigeration that was too warm, and mold slime in the ice machine. They remain closed today, Monday, March 16. They will probably remain closed on Tuesday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. As one Rogers Park blogger put it: I used to be a semi-regular customer at Heartland. In the last few years, all the ass-kissing b.s with Joe Moore was a big turnoff, and the deterioration of service and food quality more of a turnoff. Their whiny attitude about these serious health code violations does not exactly entice me to return as a regular. It disgusts me that they would choose to respond in such a childish way. If anything, it would make me inclined to patronize almost any restaurant in the 'hood EXCEPT Heartland. And there are plenty of other neighborhood restaurants that I enjoy. Full Post at Fargo Observer... RELATED: Heartland Cafe Blames City for Health Code Violations Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...