Restaurant Report Card: Dirty doughnuts, cockroaches in the kitchen

DENVER — In this week’s Restaurant Report Card, an Englewood Asian eatery failed for live and dead cockroaches.

Jasmine Asian Cuisine

Jasmine Asian Cuisine at 3999 S. Broadway earned an F for 13 critical violations. Inspectors found live cockroaches in the kitchen and dining area and dead cockroaches in the cabinets.

In September, inspectors also marked the restaurant for “a pan of pineapple … [which] had mold growing on it, a bag of onions was stored on the floor,” and the floor and walls “were dirty and soiled.”

The owner refused to do an interview, but sent us this comment:  “The owners acknowledged the issues and have since corrected all minor and critical items.”

Winchell’s Donuts

Next we hit Winchell’s Donuts our second F of the week.

In September, inspectors cited the Wheat Ridge doughnut house for 11 critical mistakes including, “fruit flies … by [the] bulk soda syrup storage.” Also, “an employee … handled ready to eat foods with bare hands,” and “equipment is not sufficient for cooling, heating or holding foods at the required temperatures.”

Inspectors recommended a “deep cleaning of all surfaces.” Repair workers were called in to fix the equipment issue.

The owner declined our request for an interview and instead responded with this: “I had a manager that was not doing her job as far as the maintenance of the equipment and other items. I hired a new manager with lots of experience…and she is making lots of changes to improve the environment of the store.”

Cano’s Welsh Dragon

An A-plus goes to Cano’s Welsh Dragon tea shop in Cherry Creek, where owners serve up authentic English food and tea.

Owner Joyce Mahn credits her training as a nurse and her husband’s former job for their meticulous kitchen.

“It’s a blessing that you came,” she said. “I was really surprised when you called; I thought, ‘What did we do?’ My husband worked for the health department for many, many years and so I do know what’s important.”

Check Your Favorite Restaurants

• Follow this link for restaurants in the city of Denver
• Follow this link for restaurants covered by the Tri-County Health Department (Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties)
• Follow this link for restaurants covered by Jefferson County

Food safety tip from Denver Department of Environmental Health: