Cockroaches in rice, old cottage cheese, dead and decomposing mice, rodent feces, flies landing on food, unlabeled ingredients, missing records and more are among violations state inspectors discovered during recent food safety and lodging inspections in the Wichita area.

Each week, The Eagle adds to its searchable database of failed inspections from Sedgwick County. Nine restaurants and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations from Oct. 12-18.

Inspectors found few or no violations at ​more than 40 other locations deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules​.

Kansas Department of Agriculture inspections are meant to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and other health risks. Locations can fail if they have too many problems, certain types of violations or issues that can’t be fixed right away.

Violations are common. Most of the time, businesses correct issues in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately are serving food that’s more than a week old, employees mishandling ingredients and dirty kitchens. Issues that may take longer to correct include pest infestations, power outages and plumbing problems.

It’s rare, but a business may be temporarily shut down over violations.

Places that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.

The list in this report was compiled on Oct. 23 using information available from the state on that date. It covers Sedgwick County only.

But you can search food safety and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas athttps://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.

Out-of-compliance inspections

Bagatelle Bakery, 6801 E. Harry in Wichita — Eight violations on Oct. 14 during a complaint inspection. Fly landed on bread and sheet cake, cut tomatoes and shredded lettuce held at improper temperatures (49-50°F when 41°F or below is required), buildup of food debris on bakery equipment, drains in dish area are grimy, hose hanging below flood rim at three-compartment sink, leak at hand-washing sink, live mouse on sticky trap with droppings under soda fountain and in production area, approximately 10 live houseflies throughout kitchen, decomposed mouse on sticky trap, old rodent droppings, buildup of flour and food debris in production area. Next inspection: Nov. 14.

Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, 3141 S. Hillside in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 16 during a modified complaint inspection. Several rodent droppings on floor in kitchen, decomposed mouse on sticky trap in storage area, dead mouse on sticky trap in side hallway, block of purple rodent bait on shelf next to clean dishes. Next inspection: Oct. 26.

Delano’s Diner, 1220 W. Douglas in Wichita — One violation on Oct. 13 during a follow-up inspection. Old cottage cheese and old macaroni and cheese. Next inspection: Oct. 23.

Denny’s, 4024 E. Harry in Wichita — Seven violations on Oct. 15 during a complaint inspection. Moldy cherry tomatoes, sausage links held at improper temperature (122-126°F when 135°F or above is required), cooked potatoes held at room temperature (82°F when should be 135°F or above for hot holding or 41°F or below for cold holding), raw eggs stored weren’t kept cold enough, no preparation date on salad mix, 20-plus flies landing on surfaces that touch food, inadequate pest control measures, buildup of grease and food debris under kitchen equipment and food splattered on walls. Next inspection: Oct. 25.

Katana Japanese Steakhouse, 6821 W. Taft in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 16 during a follow-up inspection. Two full-grown cockroaches inside bin of uncooked rice, one full-grown cockroach crawling out of dish machine, one juvenile cockroach at dish machine, one juvenile cockroach at hand-washing sink next to dish machine, three cockroaches in wall trim next to dish machine, one full-grown cockroach on floor next to gas burners, several dead cockroaches throughout kitchen. The restaurant voluntarily closed until there is no cockroach activity on food or surfaces that touch food. Next inspection: Oct. 26.

La Jarochita Mexican Food (mobile vendor/food truck), 1919 N. Spruce in Wichita — Two violations on Oct. 17 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Shredded cheese held at improper temperature (61°F when 41°F or below is required), the business refused to continue the inspection after the inspector found one violation. Next inspection: Dec. 17.

Muhungano African Market, 2251 E. 21st St., Suite 115 in Wichita — Four violations on Oct. 15 during a licensing-operational inspection. Approximately 20 unlabeled raw whole fish were in direct contact with ice, multiple bulk items (beans, dry sardines, peanuts, etc.) were packaged in store without common names or other required information on their labels. The next inspection date wasn’t listed.

Napoli Italian Eatery, 7718 E. 37th St. North, Suite 500 in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 13 during a follow-up inspection. A case of mussels did not have a shell stock tag in the container, no shell stock tags available for the month of October, incomplete records related to sous vide cooking. Next inspection: Oct. 23.

Wasabi Hinkaku, 912 E. Douglas in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 13 during a routine inspection. Pan of cut cabbage at 56°F (when 41°F or below is required) inadequate ice bath, cooked rice wasn’t labeled with the time it was left out at room temperature, shrimp and onion rings holding at room temperature were not marked with the time they were left out, two live roaches by furnace closet. Next inspection: Oct. 23.

Where to complain

If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.

To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, emailkda.fsl@ks.gov or call785-564-6767. You can also file a complaint atwww.foodsafetykansas.org.

To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event where food was served, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at877-427-7317 orwww.foodsafetykansas.org.

Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted atwww.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.

For more information about foodborne illnesses, visitwww.foodsafety.gov.

Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.

The violation summaries were compiled and drafted with the help of AI tools. They were fact-checked for accuracy and edited by Wichita Eagle journalists.

Amy Renee Leiker

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6644

Amy Renee Leiker has been reporting for The Wichita Eagle since 2010. She covers crime, courts and breaking news and updates the newspaper’s online databases. She’s a mom of three and loves to read in her non-work time. Reach her at 316-268-6644 or at aleiker@wichitaeagle.com.