Casbah fined for second time

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By Brandy Nance (Contact)

Originally published 09:23 a.m., December 15, 2007
Updated 09:23 a.m., December 15, 2007

Photo by Carly Pearson

The Casbah Mediterranean Pizza Cafe at 12th Avenue and Commercial Street has been fined for repeated health code violations.

A local restaurant has been fined a second time for failing to comply with food safety regulations, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced this week.

Mike Heideman of the Kansas Department of Health of Environment sent a press release out on Thursday that included Casbah Mediterranean Pizza, 1127 Commercial St., as one of the restaurants that was fined. Casbah was sent a letter on Nov. 21.

The restaurant was fined following inspections on June 20 and July 2, according to a Gazette article Sept. 8. According to the administrative order sent to the restaurant, the penalty was appealed on Sept. 4. On Oct. 3, a notice was issued to the restaurant for failing to participate in the prehearing scheduled for Oct. 3.

The restaurant was fined $500 on Nov. 21 because the restaurant “failed to control the presence of pests,” according to the administrative order sent to the restaurant. The latest inspection took place on Sept. 12.

Other violations listed on the Nov. 21 order include “failure to label ready to eat, potentially hazardous foods with a consume by date;” failure to provide hot water in the establishment; and “licensee had on the premises a pesticide unapproved for use in a food establishment.”

Violations earlier this year at the restaurant included failure to control pests, failure to comply with safe food handling guidelines, failure to hold food at 41 degrees or below, failure to label food properly and failure to use poisonous or toxic materials according to manufacturer’s instructions.

In a telephone conversation Friday morning, Heideman said administrative orders are subject to appeal.

“They have the choice of either paying the penalty or filing an appeal,” Heideman said.

Heideman said any establishment that has repeat violations could face increased enforcement action. He declined to say what steps that could include.

“It’s too early to say,” he said. “Our goal in this process is to return the facility to compliance. That’s really our goal. We want to be able to resolve these matters in a productive way.”

A message from The Gazette left for Casbah owner Bilal Syed was not returned.