Kansas food safety and lodging inspectors found several Topeka establishments to be out of compliance with state law in October.

Kansas law delegates to the Kansas Department of Agriculture the authority to regulate food establishments, food processing plants and lodging establishments. Violations — particularly priority violations linked to causes of foodborne illness — can lead to various consequences, including the immediate closure of an establishment.

Kansas Department of Agriculture records show that while most Topeka service establishments passed inspections in October with either no violations or no serious ones, several failed. Most inspections were routine, but inspectors also visited after complaints, for licensing, follow-ups and other reasons.

Out of compliance establishments

The following establishments were listed as out of compliance with state law after inspections in October.

• Hanover Pancake House at 1034 S. Kansas Ave.

The Oct. 26 joint inspection found six violations.

The restaurant threw away bags of salted caramel and French vanilla cold coffee because the coffee machine was not keeping the coffee, which had a main ingredient of milk, cold enough. Sliced ham and turkey were also tossed for not being kept cold enough.

They threw away ham steaks, quiche pie, Santa Fe sauce, ranch, boiled eggs and pumpkin pie that were all more than seven days old. The sauce and ranch were the oldest at 23 days.

While those items did have date marks, there was goulash, green beans, broccoli and cooked sausage all without a date mark. The person in charge added dates to those items, which were all less than seven days old.

Cooked sausage that was not hot enough was tossed, while ham that was not hot enough was placed on a heater.

Pans of partially cooked sausages did not have proper markings. The person in charge did not know the required temperatures for the sausage cooking process, and was then educated.

A follow-up inspection was scheduled for Nov. 4.

• Jose Pepper’s at 1425 S.W. Wanamaker Road.

The Oct. 20 complaint inspection found six violations.

The inspector noted a cross contamination risk from raw eggs stored above pans of shredded cheese, a container of tomatillo ranch dressing that was not cool enough because it was not submerged in ice.

There was also a leaking soda carbonator tank, no hand drying provision at the bar hand sink, unlabeled spray bottles under a kitchen counter and deteriorating baseboards, walls and floors.

The establishment was back in compliance after an Oct. 30 follow-up inspection.

• Relax Inn & Suites at 3802 S.W. Topeka Blvd.

The Oct. 19 complaint inspection found eight violations, after which rooms 235 and 118 were closed and not allowed to be rented.

Room 235 had bed bug spotting on a box spring, burns and tears on the top blanket plus burns and and stains on the sheets, a “heavily stained, burned and ripped” mattress and “fecal blood spotting” on the mattress.

Room 118 had a dirty drawer, “one aged mouse dropping in a drawer” and “one intact dead bed bug and fecal blood spotting on the box spring.”

Some violations were also noted in rooms 119 and 132, but those were not closed. None of the six rooms inspected had secondary door locks. The laundry cart had no separation for dirty and clean laundry, and housekeeping staff had no single use gloves.

A follow-up inspection will be conducted at the request of the operator once the imminent health hazard issues have been corrected.

• The Burger Stand at 2833 S.W. 29th Street.

The Oct. 11 routine inspection found four violations.

There was a cross contamination risk from raw eggs in the refrigerator above uncovered mayonnaise mixture for egg salad sandwiches. They threw away garlic puree, cooked elbow noodles and whipped topping that had all been held past the maximum seven days, with the oldest being the 11-day-old whipped topping.

The kitchen cook line had more than 10 flies landing on cutting boards, to-go containers, on plates and elsewhere, including a cooked hamburger that was then thrown out.

The bathroom sink had no hot water.

The restaurant was back in compliance after an Oct. 25 follow-up inspection.

• Thai Table at 2222 S.W. Washburn Ave.

The restaurant remained out of compliance in an Oct. 11 inspection that found two violations was following up on a September licensing inspection.

A cook used her bare hands to place sliced cucumbers on a dish, but threw away the cucumbers after being educated on the need to wash her hands and wear gloves. Cut tomatoes and liquid eggs in a cooler were too warm, due to the lid being left open for about an hour and a half, so the lid was closed.

Another follow-up inspection was scheduled for Dec. 12.

• SQRL Service Station at 2901 S.E. Fremont Street.

The Oct. 9 follow-up inspection found eight violations after the establishment was also out of compliance during a September licensing inspection, which noted moldy cheese, a moldy ice machine, 5-month-old creamer and other violations.

During the follow-up, the establishment threw away raw chicken marinating in a brown broth with bay leaves that the inspector said “had a smelly odor.” The person in charge said they marinate the chicken for 24 hours before baking it, but the inspection took place two days after the container was prepared. The inspector also provided education that the Sterilite containers they were using to marinate the chicken were not food grade approved.

In a cross contamination risk, there was a case of eggs, three of which were broken and leaking onto boxes stacked below on a wire rack. Raw egg yolk had leaked onto packages of Ego waffles. There were also packages of cooked sausage patties and raw bacon either under or next to the broken eggs. The eggs and waffles were tossed.

They also threw away scrambled egg breakfast bowls from a cooler that were not cool enough and used a microwave to reheat baked chicken, green beans and candy yams that were not held hot enough. The candy yams, some gravy and pizza sauce also did not have date marks.

The kitchen hand sink did not drain the waste water.

Another follow-up inspection was scheduled for Dec. 8.

• McDonald’s at 3530 N.W. 46th Street.

The Oct. 2 routine inspection found five violations.

The inspector educated a cook that she needed to wash her hands after watching her wipe down the fry area with an ungloved hand and a napkin, continue to work on orders, grab a fry carton, open it and poured in fries.

A stack of clean dishes had not been dried. When tested, a sanitation bucket at the drive through window did not show any chlorine.

More than 20 flies were in the kitchen on the menu, walls, hamburger boxes, and around the latte machine. There were also at least 15 flies landing on tables in the lobby, along with dead flies around windows.

The fast food restaurant was back in compliance after an Oct. 11 follow-up inspection.

Inspections found these establishments were in compliance

The following service establishments were in compliance when inspectors visited in October with either no violations or only relatively minor ones.

• Stumpy’s Smoked Cheese at 2104 N.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Arby’s at 1187 S.W. Gage Blvd.
• Glory Days Pizza at 4745 Hunters Ridge Circle, Suite A.
• McDonald’s at 1201 S.W. Gage Blvd.
• Murphy Express at 1531 S.W. Wanamaker Road.
• Vikings Grille at 4731 Hunters Ridge Circle, Suite G.
• Antojitos Laguneros at 1923 S.E. Maryland Ave.
• The Blind Barista at 400 N.E. Aspen Lane.
• Roxys Bakery at 3700 N.W. Eric Drive.
• MMM Cupcakes at 2104 N.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Valero at 2044 N.W. Tyler St.
• The Brownstone LLC at 4020 25th St.
• Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs at 2060 Topeka Blvd.
• Indian Bistro at 2919 S.W. Wanamaker Road, Suite A.
• Simply Sarah’s Catering at 2550 S.E. Tecumseh Road.
• DJ’s Catering at 2015 S.W. Second St.
• Hampton Inn at 1515 Arrowhead Road.
• Pepperjax Grill at 2027 S.W. Wanamaker Road.
• Sweet Bites at 3801 S. Humboldt St.
• Days Inn by Wyndham at 1510 S.W. Wanamaker Road.
• Barnabas Tea Co. – Washburn Union Cafe at 1820 S.W. Jewell Ave.
• Behr Paws Southern Oven at 2830 S.W. Bingham Road.
• McDonald’s at 2880 S.E> California Ave.
• The Spot Tavern at 2202 S.W. Buchanan.
• Bus Barn Catering at 2037 N.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Great Life Golf & Fitness – Western Hills at 8533 21st St.
• La Reina’s Tequila Lounge at 3414 S.W. Sixth Ave.
• La Rocca’s Pizza at 3100 S.W. Gage Blvd.
• Top City Snow at 5007 N.W. Dawdy Drive.
• El Zocalo at 4100 S.W. 35th Terrace.
• Sk8away at 815 S.W. Fairlawn Road.
• Tacos El Mexicano at 2002 S.E. California Ave.
• Casey’s General Store at 4441 California Ave.
• Hairy Beast Brewing at 2822 S.W. Arrowhead Road.
• Topeka Sports Cabaret at 4216 Seward.
• 785 Beer Company at 301 S.E. 45th Street.
• Airgas USA at 3041 N.W. US-24 highway.
• Auburn-Washburn USD 437 Warehouse at 5928 S.W. 53rd St.
• Bigg Bugg’s BBQ Sauces & Stuff at 305 S.E. 17th St.
• Gerardo’s Mexican Food at 3506 S.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Jardine Middle School/Jardine Elementary School at 2600 S.W. 33rd St.
• Lattes and Lace at 1616 S.E. 43rd Terrace.
• Second Chance Foods at 4826 S.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Annie’s Place at 4014 Gage Center Drive.
• Saturday’s Barbecue LLC at 1553 S.W. 23rd St.
• Super 8 at 5968 S.W. 10th Ave.
• Walmart at 335 MacVicar Ave.
• Washburn University Lincoln Dining at 1801 College Ave.
• El Dorado Mexican Grille & Cantina at 4745 Hunters Ridge Circle, Suites D and E.
• McDonald’s at 1100 S. Kansas Ave.
• Sheridan’s Frozen Custard at 5937 S.W. 29th St.
• Specks Bar & Grill at 2105 Mission Ave.
• Topsys Popcorn at 1801 S.W. Wanamaker Road.
• La Creperie at 2306 S.E. Leo Ave.
• Domino’s Pizza at 735 S.W. Topeka Blvd.
• El Mezcal at 5301 S.W. 21st. St.
• Hotel Topeka at City Center at 1717 S.W. Topeka Blvd.
• Dialogue Coffee House at 301 E. Railroad Street in Silver Lake.
• Sonic Drive In at 636 N.W. US-24 highway.
• Papa John’s Pizza at 2121 S.W. Wanamaker Road.

Jason Alatidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.