Food Safety Report: Fire Lake, 221 N Columbus Dr, Chicago, Il, USA.

Chicago, 60601 Illinois, United States

Report date: Oct 22, 2025
10. Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
- comments: observed no hand drying provisions at handwashing sinks in facility. Observed no paper towels at handwashing sinks in restaurant,at bar and front prep area handwashing sink. Observed non working hand dryer in women's washroom near starbucks. Instructed each handwashing sink or group of adjacent handwashing sinks shall be provided with hand drying provisions. Corrected on site paper towels provided for handwashing sinks in restaurant, at bar and front prep area before conclusion of inspection and hand dryer in women's washroom near starbucks repaired and working properly before conclusion of inspection. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-030(c) citation issued.

16. Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
- comments: observed improper minimum fresh hot water temperature of 146f for sanitizing rinse for high temperature dish machine in second floor dishwashing area. Corrected on site observed high temperature dish machine in second floor dishwashing area repaired and santizing properly at 190f after repair during recent inspection on 10/23/25. Priority violation 7-38-025 citation issued

21. Proper hot holding temperatures
- comments: observed hot tcs food(chicken) held at improper temperature of 130. 6f. Instructed all hot tcs food must be held at 135f or above. Corrected on site manager voluntarily discarded and denatured food valued at $7 weighing 3lbs. Priority violation 7-38-005 citation issued (consolidated with violation below)

22. Proper cold holding temperatures
- comments: observed cold tcs foods, held at improper temperatures ranging between 49. 1-66. 4f. Observed cold tcs foods, shredded cheese(50. 0f), soybean paste(49. 1f), sliced tomatoes(52. 1f), milk(54. 3-54. 5f), yogurt(54. 0f), cream cream(52. 0f), butter(66. 4f) and sour cream(57. 0f) held at improper temperature. Instructed all cold tcs food must be held at 41f or below. Corrected on site manager voluntarily discarded and denatured food valued at $40 weighing 17lbs. Priority violation 7-38-005 citation issued. (consolidated with violation above)

25. Consumer advisory provided for raw/undercooked food
- comments: observed no disclosure on menu stating that asterisked animal derived foods are served raw, undercooked, cooked to order or contain raw or undercooked ingredients. Instructed to add disclosure to menu stating that animal derived foods with an asterisk are served raw, undercooked, cooked to order or contain raw or undercooked ingredients. Corrected during recent inspection on 10/23/25 observed disclosure added to menu stating that asterisked animal derived foods are served undercooked, cooked to order or contain raw or undercooked ingredients. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005 no citation issued

29. Compliance with variance/specialized process/haccp
- comments: observed no variance/haccp plan approval on site for vacuum packaged tcs foods found in walk in freezer. Corrected on site two containers of vacuum packaged food voluntarily discarded by management. Containers contained short ribs and duck. Foods discarded by management valued at $275 and weighing 50lbs. Instructed site not to use vacuum seal machine informed site that to use said machine, a haccp plan/variance must be obtained by cdph. Vacuum sealing machine removed from facility during inspection. Instructed site not to use machine nor vacuum packaging material until haccp plan/variance is submitted to cdph and approval granted from cdph. Priority foundation violation 7-38-005 citation issued.

32. Variance obtained for specialized processing methods
- comments: observed facility not meeting compliance with variance/specialized process in facility noted reduced oxygen packaging all stored in walk in freezer during time of inspection. Informed person in charge that documentation and procedures must be submitted and approved by cdph before performing such specialized food processes and must be maintained. Unit removed from facility before conclusion of inspection and management voluntarily discarded and denatured vacuum packaged food valued at $275 and weighing 50lbs. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-005. Citation combined with violation #29

33. Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control
- comments: observed two cold holding units at improper ambient temperatures 52. 7f and 57. 2f. Observed two small two door colding units at improper ambient temperature in main kitchen and in restaurant rear prep area. Instructed all cold holding units must be maintained at 41f or below. Corrected on site small two door cold holding unit in restaurant rear prep area and small two door cold holding unit with two doors in main kitchen removed from facility and discarded before conclusion of inspection. Priority violation 7-38-005 citation issued

38. Insects, rodents, & animals not present
- comments: observed openings at left and right lower corners of dock doors in room with trash compactor. Instructed to seal all outer openings to prevent pest entrance.

38. Insects, rodents, & animals not present
- comments: observed over 40 small flies in facility. Observed small fly activity in such areas as main kitchen dishwashing area, small equipment storage room and restaurant bar. Instructed to eliminate small fly activity in facility and clean affected areas, recommended licensed pest control company service facility on or after 10/22/2025. Priority foundation violation 7-38-020(a) citation issued

39. Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
- comments: observed no left and right splash guard on restaurant front prep area handwashing sink. Instructed to install left and right splash guards on handwashing sink in restaurant front prep area handwashing sink to prevent contamination of prep surfaces, equipment or food.

48. Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
- comments: observed no data plate for high temperature dish machine in second floor dishwashing area. Instructed to provide an easily accessible and readable data plate affixed to the machine by the manufacturer that indicates the machine's design and operation specifications.

Source: chicago.gov