Eat & Drink
Does Kensington fishmonger have a rat problem?
In a possible preview of "next week on DineSafe," a local redditor appears to have snapped an, um, unappetizing photo (see below) of New Seaway Fish Market. Yep, those would be rats.
The thread, which appeared on the Toronto sub-reddit yesterday has sparked the type of conversation that always seems to come up when these little guys are spotted at a Chinatown or Kensington Market establishment: is the presence of vermin just par for the course for neighbourhoods whose streets are lined with produce or does a sighting like this indicate gross neglect on the part of the individual business owner?
The individual who posted the photo claims to have informed Toronto Public Health of the issue, so stay tuned to see how the store performs on its next inspection. They've had some issues with DineSafe in the past, but nothing on this level.
Update (Thursday, January 31st):
This probably won't surprise anyone, but lo and behold, New Seaway has been shut down by Toronto Public Health. If the photo wasn't enough to convince you, here's a portion of the DineSafe report.
The Toronto Star also has a full write-up on the closure.
Lead photo by fortinbras on Flickr
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I'm so glad there are no rats in Bracebridge.
Thats why Kensington does it.
Look at the amount of Asian restaurants on those things.
Not always about infestations, but by God...the amount of violations they have. Unbelievable.
Of course, most places take pains to make sure that it's harder for them to get the stuff (keeping it off of the floor, traps, etc.) and so long as there's an active pest control program and food that's being sold to customers isn't contaminated, they won't get shut down by the health department. Otherwise no store with any sort of food would be open.
Had the odd rat here and there in the alleyway, maybe a bit easier to control? Saw one scurry out of La Palette's garbage bin once as well. Kensington will always have infestation problems.
He sells the freshest fish in the market! Full stop.
He takes all the fish off display every evening and puts them in the freezer room behind a heavy locked door. He then washes of the display every evening.
You have to ask yourself if the rats live there or got in there in those days when the temperature got below -10C.
I know he found the hole through which these bastards got in and worked all last night to plug it.
I will keep shopping there; in fact I just did.
http://www.blogto.com/mb_toronto/2013/02/morning_brew_ford_audit_expected_today_mayor_asks_staff_to_sign_in_ikea_monkey_ruling_due_rat_infested_store_to_re-open_watering_the_plants_and_a_robocop_sale/
Why so much outrage on the New Seaway Fish Market story and nothing on Wanda's?
http://www.blogto.com/mb_toronto/2013/02/morning_brew_ford_audit_expected_today_mayor_asks_staff_to_sign_in_ikea_monkey_ruling_due_rat_infested_store_to_re-open_watering_the_plants_and_a_robocop_sale/
Why so much outrage on the New Seaway Fish Market story and nothing on Wanda's?
It's a stupid shame. Knee-jerk squeals from some young person I suppose, maybe someone who thinks milk comes from bottles. But the Star should have known better, and just sent it along to Public Health for investigation -- those folks are fast! -- instead of creating a tempest in a teapot that appears to have ruined a family business inappropriately. Must have been a slow news day.
The whole city has rats, mice, raccoons, squirrels, etc -- and sometimes they get in any bldg -- don't imagine supermarkets are immune! -- and then you have to get them out again tout suite, block the route, and clean like a maniac; it's just that simple. I am happy to shop at New Seaway and almost any shop in the market: the owners are very clean and careful, in my opinion even more so than in larger stores.