A restaurant that specializes in Dominican cuisine was forced to temporarily close its doors after a failed health inspection last week.
Maracas Restaurant, which is located at 3271 S John Young Parkway in Kissimmee, was temporarily closed on Tuesday, May 16, after a health inspector with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation cited at least 17 code violations.
Among the violations were five considered high priority. That included the presence of rodent activity, as evidenced by five droppings found under food storage shelves and behind an ice machine.
Additionally, the restaurant was cited for improperly storing raw chicken in a walk-in cooler over cooked tripe. Raw foods must be properly stored and separate from ready-to-eat food.
The restaurant was also cited for keeping cooked foods at temperatures that were too low, including plantains, pork, and oatmeal.
The restaurant was reinspected the same day and was permitted to reopen after only nine violations remained.