Dec. 8, 2016 Staff Report
A popular Jackson Heights café was shut down by the health department earlier this week for unsanitary conditions.
La Gata Galosa 2, located at 89-01 37th Avenue, was closed Tuesday by the department after racking up a total of 41 violation points, according to the Health Department website.
The inspection cites the presence of flies in the food area and failure to properly protect food from contamination as the two critical issues resulting in the shutdown. It also points out that the facility is not vermin proof, meaning that it would be possible for vermin to get in to the restaurant.
This is not the first time that the restaurant has been shut down for health violations. It was closed in July of 2015 for similar sanitation issues, racking up a total of 93 violation points.
The Health Department evaluates restaurants based on the point system, with points assigned based on the size and scale of the violation, and indicating what letter grade a restaurant receives. Any restaurant that gets between zero and 13 points receives an A grade, any receiving between 14 and 27 points gets a B grade, and any with 28 or more points gets a C grade.
However, if certain violations are considered especially problematic, the Health Department can shut down the restaurant, as it did with La Gata Galosa 2. Once a restaurant is shut down by the Health Department, it will be re-inspected once per month until it scores below 28 points, or the Department will close it for serious and persistent violations.
