End of the Line for Bucharest’s Pescobar: A Tale of Health Violations and Shutdowns

End of the Line for Bucharest’s Pescobar: A Tale of Health Violations and Shutdowns

Recurring Health Violations Lead to Closure

The Pescobar restaurant, located in Herăstrău Park, Bucharest, has been shut down by the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC). This action was due to continuous serious irregularities uncovered during inspections. The restaurant was initially run by SC Nedsea SRL, and at the time of closure, was operated by SC Commercial Diplomatic Club SRL.

Inspection Timeline Reveals Persistent Breaches

From June 1 to September 15, 2023, the ANPC conducted several control actions at the Taverna Racilor Herăstrău. On June 1, fines amounting to 25,000 lei were issued, and 156 kg of non-compliant food products were stopped from being sold. A temporary shutdown of services was also ordered until the identified deficiencies were rectified.

A subsequent inspection revealed that the temporary closure was ignored, leading to an additional penalty fine of 5,000 lei and a proposal to close the unit. Further fines of 75,000 lei were issued on June 22, and a proposal for a temporary unit closure for repeated violations, ranging from 6 months to 12 months, was made.

Defiance of Closure Orders and Continued Violations

On June 28, 2023, a decision was made for a temporary unit closure for SC Nedsea SRL for a period spanning 6 months to 12 months. However, SC Commercial Diplomatic Club SRL was found operating at the same location on June 24, 2023. This discovery led to additional fines, a definitive stop of 186 kg of non-compliant food products from being sold, and a temporary stop of services.

Despite these measures, on September 15, 2023, the SC Commercial Diplomatic Club SRL received further fines, a definitive stop of 560 kg of non-compliant food products from being sold, and a proposal for a temporary unit closure due to repeated violations.

A Laundry List of Health and Safety Violations

The ANPC inspectors at Taverna Racilor in Herăstrău unveiled a multitude of irregularities. These included the use of raw materials and semi-prepared foods without identification labels, unhygienic refrigeration units, the presence of live insects, temperature fluctuations in products, and improper workspace conditions. The list extended to lack of metrological verification of scales, insufficient information about ingredients in the preparations, and lack of authorization issued by the City Hall.

Furthermore, the inspectors found food products with expired consumption dates and the use of an unauthorized transport machine with a non-functional cooling system.

Next Steps and Owner’s Response

The ANPC plans to report these issues to the Sector 1 City Hall, the Economic Crime Investigation Service, and the Public Health Directorate. In response to these actions, the owner, Paul Nicolau, has stated that all issues discovered in the closed restaurant will be rectified with immediate effect.