Food Safety Report: Tropic Island Jerk Chicken, 553 E 79th St, Chicago, IL, USA.

Chicago, 60619 Illinois, United States

Inspectors found several significant food safety violations during the inspection, and citations were issued. The facility was preparing and handling temperature-controlled foods without the required City of Chicago certified food manager and original certificate on site. Several foods in the walk-in cooler, including curry chicken, oxtail, beans, and brown chicken, were being held at temperatures above safe cold-holding levels; about 70 pounds of food were discarded. The walk-in cooler itself was measured at 53.1°F and was tagged due to inadequate temperature control.

Inspectors also observed pest activity, including about 50 mouse droppings in multiple areas of the kitchen and front prep area, a dead rodent in a trap, and about 15 small flies in the dish area. Additional maintenance and cleanliness issues included deeply cut and stained cutting boards, heavy grease buildup on cooking equipment and beneath equipment, dirty floors throughout the facility, grime under the three-compartment sink, and broken baseboards near the walk-in cooler.