It didn’t take long. Reader Derek Jetah reports:
Took family for lunch to brand new Baluchi’s in North Heights yesterday. Imagine my surprise upon arrival when I found Dept. of Health notice on door and workers moving food from fridge into (unrefrigerated) truck. Worker said current refrigerator “not cold enough.” Um, yuck! Think I’ll wait a couple weeks and check BHB & Yelp to be sure there’s no Gandhi’s Revenge coming from new Baluchi’s…
The NYC Department of Health whacked the Brooklyn Heights Baluchi’s with 58 violation points.
The DOH says that, “a Notice of Violation issued and establishment ordered closed by the Department of Health at the reinspection conducted on 02/10/2012.”
The restaurant’s last inspection, when it was called Seasons and operated under the same management, was on December 3, 2011. The eatery received 36 violation points when the DOH found “evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.”
Here’s the latest DOH report:
Violation points: 58
Sanitary Violations
1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
3) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
4) Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
5) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
