DirtyFLRestaurant Inspection Data

SAHARA CAFE

West Bay Drive
Florida, 33770
Pinellas County County

Overall Food Safety Rating

★★½☆☆ (2.9/5)
Based on 7 health inspection reports

All Inspection Reports

Inspection Date: 6/3/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10845025

  • 50-17-3:High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Observed business license expired 6-1-2025.

Inspection Date: 5/21/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10756000

  • 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Cup without handle used to dispense lentils at prep area and bacon bits in reach in freezer. Repeat Violation
  • 24-08-4:Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean stacked pans on storage shelf above triple sink unable to properly air dry
  • 14-11-5:Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Gasket on reach in freezer outside of cook line torn. Also, ceramic like plate in oven cracked.
  • 23-03-4:Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Multiple Filters in hood above grill soiled. Also, gasket on reach-in cooler across from grill soiled. Repeat Violation
  • 22-16-4:Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Interior and shelving of reach-in cooler across from grill soiled. Also, interior of reach in freezer outside of cook line soiled.
  • 31B-03-4:Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. No soap at hand wash sink in bar area. Operator replenished soap. Corrected On-Site

Inspection Date: 4/7/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 10755975

  • N/A:No Violations Were Observed

Inspection Date: 1/8/2025

Inspection #: Visit ID: 8717982

  • 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl stored in rice
  • 23-24-4:Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Under handle of microwave soiled
  • 51-11-4:Basic - Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. CO2 tank at bar not secured
  • 13-07-4:Basic - Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Employee preparing food with bracelet
  • 13-04-4:Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. Employee with facial beard preparing food with no beard guard
  • 23-03-4:Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters with grease build up Repeat Violation
  • 29-34-4:High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Missing back flow preventers on 2 water spigot located on wall outside back door with attached water hose
  • 51-16-7:Intermediate - No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. Operator plans not matching. Operator removed restroom and relocation of mop sink and added dish machine in kitchen. Provided operator with plan review application. Warning
  • 53B-14-5:Intermediate - Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Three employees certificates are expired. Rob L, Alfred O and Mayor G Repeat Violation Admin Complaint

Inspection Date: 4/22/2024

Inspection #: Visit ID: 8600832

  • 10-01-5:Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. Scoop handle in flour and orange pea/bean container. Operator propped handle up out of food. Corrected On-Site
  • 23-03-4:Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Hood filters on cooks line. Bottom shelf on prep table.
  • 29-49-6:Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Black reach in cooler near hallway to bathrooms.
  • 41-07-4:High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Bottle of tums on shelf above pizza prep table, operator moved tums to office. Corrected On-Site
  • 35A-02-6:High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed 3 flies behind bar area. Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
  • 14-86-1:High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. Cloth wiping towel lining the bottom and top of containers in walk in cooler with fresh herbs. Operator removed cloth towels. Corrected On-Site
  • 08A-20-5:High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken over raw shrimp in reach in cooler on cooks line, operator moved chicken to the bottom. Corrected On-Site
  • 16-37-1:Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. Chlorine dish machine and quaternary ammonia.
  • 53B-14-5:Intermediate - Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. 3 employees expired January. Repeat Violation Admin Complaint

Inspection Date: 2/6/2024

Inspection #: Visit ID: 8600766

  • N/A:No Violations Were Observed

Inspection Date: 1/29/2024

Inspection #: Visit ID: 8387362

  • 24-08-4:Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean stacked cups on counter across from bar area unable to properly air dry
  • 14-11-5:Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Handle on reach in freezer next to grill area missing. Also, gasket on same reach in freezer torn. Also, ceramic plate in oven next to fryer cracked.
  • 14-69-4:Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Heavy ice build up on shelving, on floor and around interior and exterior of walk in freezer door. Operator stated someone was out recently and is coming back out tomorrow to finish repair. **Corrective Action Taken**
  • 35A-02-6:High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed 5 flying insects in bar area across from glass door cooler. Also, observed 5 flying insects under counter near stacked cups in bar area, and also observed 3 flying insects near dishwashing machine in bar area. Operator tried killing some flying insects during this inspection **Corrective Action Taken** Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
  • 08A-05-6:High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw shelled eggs in walk-in-cooler stored over ready to eat sour cream. Operator removed shelled eggs to properly store. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
  • 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. yogurt (50F - Cold Holding); cooked rice (46F - Cold Holding) in reach-in cooler across from fryer. Operator stated he was in and out of cooler today. Operator placed both items in walk in freezer to chill **Corrective Action Taken**
  • 22-02-4:Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Underside of mixer in prep area soiled.
  • 31A-11-4:Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Hand wash sink in hookah area used to store misc pans and utensils. Operator removed items from hand wash sink. Also, hose from AC draining into hand wash sink in hookah area. Operator removed hose and redirected it to nearby service sink. Corrected On-Site
  • 31B-02-4:Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. No paper towels at hand wash sink in hookah area, in bar area and at hand wash sink near kitchen entry door. Operator replenished paper towels at all hand wash sinks. Corrected On-Site
  • 53B-14-5:Intermediate - Required employee training expired for some employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Multiple employees food safety training certificates expired in early January 2024 (Tyler, Mayar)
  • 41-17-4:Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Two Unlabeled Spray bottle containing toxic substance stored in chemical storage shelf and on shelf in bar area. Operator labeled both spray bottles of sanitizer. Corrected On-Site