Health Department Orders Closure Of Pittsburgh Restaurant

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Allegheny County Health Department has shut down a Pittsburgh restaurant after finding nearly two dozen health code violations during a Tuesday inspection.

PF BBQ House, on Atwood Street in Oakland, is closed until further notice.

Inspectors found too many to count mouse droppings in the shelves in the upstairs storage area, floor of the upstairs storage area, floor of the upstairs storage alcove, stairs
leading upstairs, stairs leading down to the rice storage, shelves in the rice storage alcove, on the floor of the beverage prep area, on the floor of the beverage storage area, under dining area booths, on the floor behind the small fish tank, in the closet behind the small fish tank, on the floor under the
food preparation sink, on the floor of the decommissioned elevator, in the basement behind chest freezers, and on the floor of the sleeping quarters in the basement.

Additionally:

• There were are bay leaf bags and cardboard boxes of spices with large chew marks present.
• There were multiple boxes of red chili peppers adulterated with excessive numbers of moths.
• There was one old dead mouse on a glue trap in the basement.
• There was evidence of adulteration in the form of commingling of spices and mouse droppings on the floor and shelves next to the containers.

Additionally, a container of sweet rice and black pepper in the basement, as well as containers of spices and nuts, that were found contaminated with mouse urine

A box of margarine with the margarine covered in black mold residue was found stored in the walk-in cooler.

There was a box of shrimp bags in the walk-in freezer that was thoroughly contaminated.

Also, food were being stored at unsafe temperatures in a walk-in cooler.

A "closed" placard is posted at an establishment when an imminent health hazard is identified at a restaurant or kitchen or if it has been operating without proper permits. It is unlawful to operate a food facility with a "closed" placard.