17 June 2010

Health inspectors catch up with Tak Kee

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times’ queen of lurid court reporting, Jenna Hand, has hit another winner with the conviction of Kin Wah Wong, of Dickson’s Tak Kee Roast Inn for “failing to comply with food safety standards and allowing food to be handled in a way that made it unsuitable for sale”.

Tak Kee is the legendary establishment with the ducks in the window.

I’ve got to say I’ve always gone to Tak Kee for an authentic Chinese dining experience, which the story describes in every detail.

(OK, not completely authentic, I never saw any rats in Tak Kee)

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Arthur McKenzie, AKA Blumers, has struck.

Arthur McKenzie5:26 pm 12 Feb 11

According to the Canberra Times Sat, 12 Feb 2010 Health Monster Katie Gallagher and her bureaucrats seems to think the naming of unsanitary restaurants should be suppressed because knowledge of the perpetrators unsafe practices might affect the livelihood of the restaurant owners.

Well there’s obviously a couple of problems with this approach:

1. She is now potentially personally liable for charges of negligence. If you get sick then send her the damages bill.

2. Knowingly protecting the name of a filthy business by witholding information is irresponsible to say the least. The inspectors can also be held personally liable along with the head of their department. bhey all have a duty of care.

2. How is the livelihood of a filthy owner more important than the livelihood of a customer who is incapacitated or even killed by the filth. The cost of their medication treatment and use of sick leave is not part of their livelihood?

3. The precedents for naming and shaming along with prominent display of the infringements at the front of the restaurant and on prominent public display is so well established by precedent elsewhere in Australia, the ACT government approach is just plain dumb. And why should we foot the bill as taxpayers because a Health Regulator is negligent and couldn’t care less about the people it serves?

^Do they charge extra for cockroach?

Seriously though, I have no problems having food that was prepared in the open (car park in this case).

But, food left unattended in the open, such that a health inspector could take the time photographing it, and possibly lather it with anthrax? Sorry, but that is a definite no no.

Would you really want to risk eating food that may have been nibbled by vermin?

^ Yes, they do serve laksa.

I am not surprised at all. Nothing against the chinese – but as long as they can sell – they don’t care if you die or not 🙂
I am surprised however many people find the food tasty there… you do not have a sophisticated sense of taste in my opinion.

Do they even serve laksa?

niceplacetolive1:26 pm 18 Jun 10

We call it the tacky roach inn… for very good reason… got a cockroach in my laksa there once.

How often to the health department do their checks? This place has been like that for years, just ask the mechanics behind the shop where all the food is cooked

I’ll still go there because they have the best roast duck (I think) and friendly staff. However, a bit of cleaning up would be nice. Hope this doesn’t ruin their rep. Sorta feel sorry for the owner, gotta comply with Aussie food laws.

I could just imagine the rats hanging around having a nibble! yuk

Hm, I doubt business will pick up as a result of this. I don’t think saying that you’ve had worse overseas is a justification for bringing those standards here. Yes, I’m fine with the fact that you should have a Hep A shot before eating in Petaling Street, but not Wooley Street.

I’d wager that the massive sack of MSG that was kept in the walk on the way to the bathroom last time I was there is more than slightly responsible for what is admittedly awesome tasting food.

I won’t eat there again, that’s for sure.

PS, does the page automatically jump to posts with embedded maps for anyone else when using internet explorer?

Won’t worry me. Like other have said eaten at far worse overseas with no side affects – maybe occassionally.

steveu said :

I wouldnt be surprised if their business picks up as a result of this negative publicity!

so well worth the $1500 price tag then?

I wouldnt be surprised if their business picks up as a result of this negative publicity!

georgesgenitals4:22 pm 17 Jun 10

I love that place, used to go there all the time when I worked up that end of town.

And, like others, I’ve eaten at way worse overseas and lived to tell the tale.

doesn’t $1500 seem a little lenient for pretty major food handling violations though? Preparing food in the carpark (attracting wild birds) and using rusty/dirty equipment – Yuck!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/17/2929217.htm

I don’t think any of it was really that threatening health wise. Roasting meat the chinese way is always a hot greasy business- in fact if you ever dared to use Tak Kee’s bathrooms you would have noticed.

A little clean up is a good thing- but IMO nothing to really worry about.

^ Me too. I’d still eat there.

That’s a shame but unsurprising – and I’ll still eat there. Mmm, BBQ duck.

stick to the duck and pork, and the salt baked squid, and the laksa, and the gow gee noodles, and the spring rolls and steamed dim sims. no worries. yum!

and yes, postalgeek, exactly!

I love that place!

Good that ACT Health are taking note of local restaurants. That being said, Ive always loved the food there regardless.

Indeed complying with modern food safety standards would go against the spirit of an authentic Chinese dining experience, if my memories of Guangzhou back alleys serve me correctly.

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