TAMPA - Charles and Stan Strausser are brothers visiting from out of town and decided to dine at Cafe Olé Restaurant on Cross Creek Blvd in Tampa after their hotel recommended it.
But they were not aware of the restaurant's most recent inspection reports.
"Did the place look clean to you? What did you think of it?" asked ABC Action News anchor Wendy Ryan.
"I thought it was. I thought it looked clean, but I didn't see the kitchen," said Charles.
On June 6, inspectors closed the facility after finding over 30 live and dead roaches near the prep counter and drawers, bar area, sink, dishwashing area, and back door.
And this wasn't the first time inspectors discovered roaches. During the three previous inspections, in January of this year and May and September of last year, they documented seeing roaches inside Cafe Olé's kitchen. So has anything changed? Ryan went to the restaurant to find out.
"Is there an owner or manager I can speak with?" asked Ryan.
"He's not here right now," an employee responded.
But that employee told Ryan he had only worked at Cafe Olé for a couple weeks, the owner wasn't around, and the manager wouldn't be back for several hours.
Cafe Olé has accumulated 73 critical violations over the last 14 months, and during the most recent inspection in June, inspectors documented food not date-marked, food thawed at room temperature, and food stored on the floor.
"You always assume they're abiding by the law and if they're not, you don't know," said Stan.
But despite what inspectors uncovered, the Strausser brothers say they'd be repeat customers.
"So the food was good?" Ryan asked.
"Yes, superb. I'd come back here in a heartbeat!" Charles said.
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