Not all restaurants are scoring A grades so easily: West 4th cheap eats mainstay Dojo has some... issues. Despite a new renovation last year, the eatery got nailed by the Health Department for 50 violation points in an inspection earlier this month. Even worse: it appears they're trying to cover it up. Bad grade? Nothing a well-placed flag can't handle!
Last night a tipster sent us these photos, which show a conveniently placed flag obscuring the restaurant's C rating. A staff member who answered the phone this morning wasn't sure how long the flag had been there and the manager had "just stepped out." An email to the restaurant wasn't immediately returned.
In an inspection from September 2nd, inspectors found several critical violations, including the presence of both live mice and rats in the facility, plus filth flies, "adulterated" food and "inadequate" personal cleanliness of the staff. At press time, the DOH was looking into our inquiry and we'll update when we hear back.
Trying to hide a bad grade has been a strategy for restaurateurs since the system was introduced, even though fines for doing so can reach $1,000. Dojo's flag trick is cute, but it doesn't hold a candle to the greatest camouflaged health inspection grade of all time.
