UNION SQUARE — Thai restaurant chain Spice's Union Square location was shut down by the Health Department because it was infested with cockroaches, officials said.
Spice, at 39 E. 13th St., was shuttered after raking up 53 violation points during a May 4 inspection, including transgressions like storing food at unsafe temperatures and failing to properly clean food surfaces — but the primary reason for the closure was because of the infestation, according to the Department of Health.
The restaurant was still closed as of Thursday afternoon, and an employee who would not reveal his name but identified himself as a manager declined to comment more than saying "we have a lot of work to do."
Live roaches were found in the eatery during inspections in Sept. 2014 and April 2014 as well, according to DOH records.
In its most recent inspection, the DOH determined the restaurant kept "conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist," the records show.
Spice, which has several locations across the city, serves Southeast Asian dishes including walnut shrimp, teriyaki salmon and grilled honey duck.
