Photo: QueensPost
Jan. 3, 2011 By Christian Murray
Restaurant Azteca, located at 47-16 Greenpoint Ave., was shut down by the NYC Health Department for part of December, following poor inspection results.
The restaurant, also doing business as Palacio Azteca Restaurant, accrued 128 violation points – a score far higher than any other restaurant in Sunnyside for quite some time. Generally, 27 or less is deemed a passing score.
Some of the violations listed by the Health Depart., included:
1) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
2) 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.
3) 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.
The restaurant has since reopened.
The owner of the restaurant, Bernardo Sosa, said: “There were roaches and I took care of them.” He added that this is the first time in 14 years he has been closed by the department.
But there is no reason that the restaurant can’t bounce back. Other restaurants that were closed by the Health Department, such as Dazies and Biryani House, have come back. Dazies was closed for a few days in November when it scored 38; that restaurant now has a score of 2. Meanwhile, Biriyani House, an Indian restaurant, which was closed after scoring 46, has a current score of 12.
