By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — La Goya Bakery became the latest Upper Manhattan restaurant ordered closed by the Department of Health when it closed its doors last week because of several serious violations.
La Goya Bakery, located at 1318 St. Nicholas Ave., received 84 violations points during its May 4 health department inspection for inadequately refrigerating and heating food, evidence of mice, live roaches and "filth flies," evidence of food contamination, improper cleaning supplies and improper food storage.
The uptown bakery is the fifth restaurant in Inwood and Washington Heights shuttered in the past four weeks after failing health inspections.
Under the restaurant grading system the city introduced last year, establishments with 28 or more violation points receive a C grade and are reinspected monthly. The Department of Health immediately shuts down any restaurant with extremely serious violations.
Owner Ruben Rojas hopes to reopen the 40-year-old bakery soon and planned to visit the Department of Health on Monday afternoon.
"They are pushing these inspections too much," he said in Spanish. "So many stores have closed. They don't give you a chance to appeal their decision."
Rojas lamented the closure of the store, lost income and the impact its had on his employees who have not earned a salary since the closure last Wednesday.
"That's 10 people without work," Rojas said.
The closure of La Goya Bakery, which is popular for its dulce de leche-style pudding with raisins, follows the failed inspections of several nearby neighborhood restaurants in April.
Beginning on April 5, Empire Szechuan at 4041 Broadway closed after it received 97 violation points; on April 8 Kenny's Bakery at 126A Dyckman Street closed after receiving 52 violation points; on April 19 John's Fried Chicken at 512 West 207th Street closed after it was slapped with 82 violation points; and on Grullon Bakery at 1493 St. Nicholas Ave. closed after receiving 82 violation points.
All four restaurants have since reopened.
According to the Department of Health spokeswoman Erin Brady, there has been "no concerted effort regarding inspections in this area."
