A restaurant at a landmark Lake County hotel was forced to close its doors last week after failing a health inspection.
The restaurant at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora was shut down after failing a health inspection on Aug. 24 after rodent activity was discovered. It was allowed to re-open the following day.
“Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. 14 dry droppings on dish room floor, 3 dry droppings on dirty dish rack, 3 dry droppings on sheet pan on sheet pan rack in side prep area, 20 dry droppings under sheet pan rack in side prep area, 6 moist droppings in back beverage room, 2 dry droppings on floor under server expo area,” the inspector wrote in his report, according to documents on file with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
In addition, an employee was engaging in food preparation without a hair net, coffee filters were not stored in a protected manner to prevent contamination, floor drains were heavily soiled and there was an accumulation of a black/green mold-like substance in the interior of an ice machine.
There was no proof that a prep cook hired more than 60 days earlier had gone through a state-approved employee training program.
The Lakeside Inn is more than 100 years old and once hosted President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge for a month long stay in the winter of 1930. It is also a popular location for weddings and other events.