Port LaBelle Restaurant Closed

Pattern Of Failures For Port LaBelle Inn Restaurant

LABELLE, FL. -- One more restaurant has gone out of business at the Port LaBelle Inn. Olivia's Restaurant shut it's doors in August after a rough go by the out-of-state company leasing the space.

Food Masters, Inc. of Raleigh N.C., a food service and management company took over the restaurant from the Port LaBelle Inn owner, who had attempted to run it for a few months. The new company filed for incorporation in Florida February 17, 2010.

Four different Port LaBelle Inn owners have not been able to keep restaurant doors open through the last 10 years of the landmark hotel building near the shores of the Caloosahatchee River. 

Michael Lafferty of Naples, Fl and Arizona leased the restaurant room to Maine's Best Seafood, and then Lafferty went under foreclosure, forcing previous owner Richard and Mary ''Dotty" Seibel to take the property back. Maine's Best reportedly never made any rent payments to Lafferty during their year at the Port LaBelle Inn.

The Seibels then forced Maine's Best out and sold off the hotel to Ed J. Yasechko of Hubbard, Ohio, a truck stop operator.  Yasechko operated the restaurant a few months before leasing it to Food Masters in March, 2010.

Throughout the history of the restaurant it apparently never had a restaurant license or certified restaurant manager, and had been cited repeatedly by the state, until Food Masters took over. The latest chef, however was found to be working under an expired food manager license.

State Food Safety Violations From The Restaurant's Last Inspection On May 9, 2010:

(Improper storage temperatures, no chlorine in dishwasher, dirty shelves, floors, and no current certified food manager)
Critical. CHEESE (WALKIN) 40F PASTA (REACH IN ) 41F CHICKEN (REACH IN ) 41F CHICKEN (COOKE AND COOLED ) 41F
Critical. OBSERVED NO READING ON SANITIZER TEST STRIP FOR DISHWASHER
Critical. OBSERVED A DRIED FOOD DEBRI BUILDUP AND A RUSTLIKE SUBSTANCE ON SHELF OF WALK-IN COOLER
OBSERVED INSERT PANS TACKED WET AFTER WASHING
OBSERVED A GREASE LIKE SUBSTANCE BUILDUP ON FLOOR UNDER COOKING EQUIPMENT
Critical. CERTIFIED FOOD MGR HEIN ROTT (license expired 12/15/09) SAFE STAFF (training lacking)