Seven NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed This Week

New York City health inspectors ordered seven restaurants closed between May 15 and May 22, according to a weekly roundup published Friday by Patch and city inspection rules posted by NYC Health. The closures followed routine, unannounced inspections that the Health Department says every restaurant faces at least once a year. (patch.com) The city says inspectors can order an immediate shutdown when they find a public health hazard that cannot be corrected on the spot. This week’s list spanned multiple boroughs and included violations tied to pests, sewage or drainage problems, unsafe food temperatures and missing food-safety oversight. ### Which restaurants were named in this week’s closure list? Patch reported that seven restaurants were ordered closed in the May 15-22 period, including Manhattan Crepe House at 103 Dyckman St., Harlem Halal Food Court at 66 W. 116th St., Lello’s Pizza at 4018 Glenwood Road in Brooklyn, and Seis Vecinos Restaurant at 640 Prospect Ave. in the Bronx. (nyc.gov) The article said the closures were based on Health Department inspection findings recorded since May 15. Patch’s published list was only partly visible in the searchable excerpt available online, but the report clearly identified the citywide count as seven and named restaurants in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The article described the weekly tally as restaurants “closed down since May 15.” (patch.com) ### What did inspectors say they found? Harlem Halal Food Court in Manhattan drew 97 violation points, the highest figure visible in Patch’s report. Inspectors cited filth flies, a lack of proper hot or cold holding equipment for time- and temperature-control foods, the absence of a Food Protection Certificate holder supervising operations, and cold foods held above required temperatures, according to the article. (patch.com) Crepe House in Inwood drew 33 violation points, with inspectors citing conditions conducive to pests and evidence of mice in food or non-food areas, Patch reported. Lello’s Pizza in Brooklyn drew 55 points, with inspectors citing food or equipment not protected from contamination and plumbing or drainage problems, including missing back-flow prevention or sewage-system disrepair. (patch.com) Seis Vecinos Restaurant in the Bronx drew 102 violation points, according to the same Patch report excerpt. The visible listing said inspectors cited improperly used or stored sanitized equipment or utensils. ### How does the city decide when to shut a restaurant? (patch.com) NYC Health says restaurant inspections are unannounced and occur at least once a year across the city’s roughly 29,000 restaurants. Inspectors assign point values to violations, and lower scores produce better grades. The agency says restaurants can be shut immediately when inspectors identify a public health hazard. The city’s public guidance says inspection results are posted in ABCEats, its restaurant inspection lookup tool. (patch.com) NYC Health also says the database lets diners review inspection histories and grades for individual establishments. ### Are these closures always permanent? NYC Health’s inspection guidance says a shutdown follows conditions that pose an immediate public health risk, but restaurants can return to service after correcting violations and clearing follow-up review. (patch.com) The city’s public materials direct operators to inspection procedures, penalty schedules and hearing options after a summons. Patch’s weekly closure reports are snapshots, not final dispositions. (nyc.gov) A restaurant that appears on the list may reopen after repairs, cleaning, pest treatment, retraining or other corrective steps required by inspectors. That status is reflected through the city’s inspection records rather than the weekly roundup alone. ### Where can diners check a restaurant before they go? ABCEats, the city’s inspection lookup tool, is the public database for checking restaurant grades, inspection histories and posted results, according to NYC Health. The agency says the tool covers the city’s restaurant inventory and is part of its grading system. As of May 23, the next step for the seven restaurants is not a court date or public hearing listed in the weekly roundup, but correction of the cited conditions and a successful follow-up inspection reflected in ABCEats. (nyc.gov) Diners can look up each restaurant there for any updated grade or reopening status. (nyc.gov)