Restaurant Inspection 2009

Have you been wondering what happened to GFNYC's annual round-up of restaurant inspection results from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)?

Wonder no more.

As always, the restaurants on this list—New York City eateries on the roster of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)—continue to be way ahead of other Big Apple restaurants in recognizing the health concerns related to gluten in their foods.

The lower the number score, the better the inspection results, with a score of 28 or higher constituting a failing grade.

Topping the list are Asia de Cuba (albeit with a rating from 2007) as well as Tuttoriso, Candle 79, and Risotteria. Many restaurants did worse this year than last year, but (unlike last year) none received a failing grade. Not available at this time is an inspection report for Nizza.

02 11/21/07 Asia de Cuba (Manhattan) no new inspection
04 01/16/09 Tuttoriso (Staten Island) newly inspected
09 01/08/09 Candle 79 (Manhattan) up 7
10 06/12/08 Risotteria (Manhattan) unchanged
12 03/20/09 Sambuca (Manhattan) down 7
13 12/05/08 Peters' (Artaki) (Manhattan) up 4
13 03/10/09 Lili's 57 (Lili's Noodle Shop) newly listed
15 01/04/08 Outback Steakhouse Chelsea (Manhattan) no new inspection
15 07/17/08 Outback Steakhouse Brooklyn (Brooklyn) up 65
18 11/12/08 Bistango (Manhattan) down 2
18 09/08/08 Outback Steakhouse Queens Boulevard (Queens) down 9
19 11/29/08 Outback Steakhouse (Staten Island) down 3
20 12/22/08 Outback Steakhouse Third Avenue (Manhattan) down 2
20 12/05/08 Lumi (Manhattan) down 10
22 11/20/08 Carrabba's (Staten Island) down 1
22 03/09/09 Gus' Place (Manhattan) down 14
25 05/14/08 Friedman's Deli new to list
25 11/03/08 Outback Steakhouse Bell Blvd. (Queens) down 12
25 01/05/09 Lilli and Loo (Manhattan) down 14
27 03/16/09 S'MAC new to list
27 09/22/08 Gusto Grilled Organics new to list
27 04/29/08 Bloom's (Manhattan) down 14
NA --/--/-- Nizza no inspection found

For the most current DOH inspection records, click here.

GFRAP restaurants can be found here.

RESTAURANT INSPECTION!

And now for the annual round-up of restaurant inspection results from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). The restaurants on this list—New York City eateries on the roster of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)—continue to be way ahead of other Big Apple restaurants in recognizing the health concerns related to gluten in their foods, which still doesn't seem to be a concern of the DOHMH.

The lower the number score, the better the inspection, with a score of 28 or higher constituting a failing grade. Topping the list are Asia de Cuba, Sambuca, and Gus' Place; at the bottom (with the only failing grade) is Outback Steakhouse Brooklyn. Not available at this time is a score for Tuttoriso, on Staten Island.

02 11/21/07 Asia de Cuba (Manhattan)
05 01/18/08 Sambuca (Manhattan)
08 04/24/07 Gus' Place (Manhattan)
09 03/14/07 Outback Steakhouse Queens Boulevard (Queens)
10 03/19/07 Lumi (Manhattan)
10 12/26/07 Risotteria (Manhattan)
11 04/04/07 Lilli and Loo (Manhattan)
13 12/26/06 Bloom's (Manhattan)
13 12/07/06 Outback Steakhouse Bell Blvd. (Queens)
15 01/04/08 Outback Steakhouse Chelsea (Manhattan)
16 01/30/07 Bistango (Manhattan)
16 08/19/07 Candle 79 (Manhattan)
16 07/31/07 Outback Steakhouse (Staten Island)
16 11/14/06 Tini (Lentini) (Manhattan)
17 06/11/07 Peters' (Artaki) (Manhattan)
18 09/27/07 Outback Steakhouse Third Avenue (Manhattan)
21 05/08/07 Carrabba's (Staten Island)
?? --/--/-- Tuttoriso (Staten Island)
80 01/30/08 Outback Steakhouse Brooklyn (Brooklyn)

For the most current DOH inspection records, click here.

GFRAP restaurants can be found here.

GFRAP NEWS

The really big news is that Bloom's New York Deli is finally offering buns and bread to go along with what had been its naked gf burgers and sandwiches. It's about time!

I got the information from the latest newsletter of the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG), which created the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP).

In other news, Karen Miller will take over as GFRAP-WCSSG chairperson, taking over many of the responsibilities handled by GFRAP founder Pat MacGregor (who will retire as Chairperson but remain a liaison and board member) and Liz Lebo (who will retire as a Coordinator but remain a liaison and advisor).

And coming soon upstate will be another GFRAP restaurant—west of the Hudson!

BLOOM'S: REOPENED!

The midtown GFRAP restaurant Bloom's has reopened after having to close following last week's massive steam pipe eruption. As mentioned previously, Bloom's was previously closed for a much longer spell due to fire.

Photo: David Marc Fischer

BLOOM'S: TEMPORARILY CLOSED?

Nobody answered the phone when I called the midtown GFRAP restaurant Bloom's this morning (July 19, 2007), so I'm guessing that it's temporarily closed in the aftermath of yesterday's huge steam pipe eruption, which was very close by. Here's to a swift and safe reopening! [Update: Bloom's is back in operation as of July 24, 2007.]

You might recall that, not long ago, Bloom's closed due to fire. Never a dull moment in the GFRAP restaurant biz....

Photo: David Marc Fischer

RESTAURANT INSPECTION!

A lot has happened since last year's round-up of restaurant inspections. Most significantly (and sensationally), the rat scare at the West Village KFC-Taco Bell led the media to take closer looks at restaurant conditions and possibly precipitated a series of very tough inspections and closings from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene(DOHMH). In the short run, this will probably lead to healthier conditions and more accurate inspections in Big Apple restaurants, though don't expect insects and rodents to suddenly absent themselves from eateries or stay out of them over time.

Of course, the gluten-free are aware of a serious health concern that still seems to be of little or no concern to the DOHMH: Most New Yorkers with celiac disease don't know they have the condition and few restaurants have policies about providing or identifying gluten-free foods. The restaurants on this list are the exceptions--and they deserve credit for making the effort.

Despite the efforts of State Senator Jeff Klein to implement a letter-grade system, the rules are the same as last year: The lower the number score, the better the inspection, with a score of 28 or higher constituting a failing grade.

Topping the list with no violations at the moment are Outback Staten Island and the radically improved Risotteria. Getting a failing grade of 36 is Lumi Restaurant. I couldn't find listings for Gus's Place and Peters' Gourmet Diner & Bar. [UPDATE: I've now found Peters' under the name Artaki. I'm told the inspection for Gus' Place, which recently (re)opened in a new location, will occur later this year.]

00 08/17/06 Outback Steakhouse (Staten Island)
00 03/09/07 Risotteria (Manhattan)
02 05/18/06 Outback Steakhouse Chelsea (Manhattan)
03 08/17/06 Carrabba's (Staten Island)
06 05/16/06 Asia de Cuba (Manhattan)
08 01/24/06 Candle 79 (Manhattan)
09 03/14/07 Outback Steakhouse Queens Blvd. (Queens)
09 09/30/06 Outback Steakhouse Brooklyn (Brooklyn)
11 04/25/06 Peters' (Artaki) (Manhattan)
13 12/26/06 Bloom's Restaurant (Manhattan)
13 12/07/06 Outback Steakhouse Bell Blvd. (Queens)
16 01/30/07 Bistango Restaurant (Manhattan)
16 11/14/06 Tini (Lentini Restaurant) (Manhattan)
17 02/15/07 Tropica Bar & Seafood House (Manhattan)
26 05/17/06 Outback Steakhouse Third Ave. (Manhattan)
36 02/15/07 Lumi Restaurant (Manhattan)

For the most current DOH inspection records, click here.

GFRAP restaurants can be found here.

GFRAP UPDATE: JANICE RETURNS, YAZOO GOES

Just over a year ago, the Suffolk County restaurant Yazoo City joined the roster of the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP). Now I've just gotten word that Yazoo City went out of business at the end of January. Yazoo, we hardly knew you--boo-hoo!

But such is the way of GFRAP--so much effort can go into bringing a restaurant aboard...and then any number of setbacks can knock it off the approved list.

Fortunately, some restaurants do make comebacks. Bloom's closed due to a fire, but now it has reopened and returned to the list. More recently, New Jersey's Janice: A Bistro returned to the roster, too.

One of the very first GFRAP restaurants--Manhattan's beloved Gus's Place--closed its doors in 2004 but reopened weeks ago in a more central Greenwich Village location. Judging from what Erin at Gluten-Free Fun has written, I'm optimistic that I'll see Gus's Place back on the GFRAP roster soon....