Brooklyn Heights Baluchi's Closed by Health Department

Saturday we called Baluchi's, the new Indian restaurant at 46 Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights, to order up some aloo mutter gobhi, dal and nan bread.

The first time we called we got an answering machine with an American woman's voice asking us to leave a message. Oops! Must have dialed the wrong number.

The second time we called we got a mechanical-sounding male voice asking us to leave a message. What the heck? So we called the Park Slope Baluchi's and asked what's wrong with the Brooklyn Heights' Baluchi's?

"They opened too soon, they were not ready yet," a man explained."They'll be closed for a week."

The Department of Health explained further:

"Closed By Health Department"

Violations recorded in the following area (s), a Notice of Violation issued and establishment ordered closed by the Department of Health at the reinspection conducted on 02/10/2012.

Violation points: 58

Sanitary Violations
1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
3) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
4) Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
5) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.

All the above violations are called "critical" by the Health Department. (Most of them seem to revolve around inadequate refrigeration.)

* * *

Someone named Vipin commenting on the Brooklyn Heights Blog says: "Yes, sadly our refrigerator was not working working properly. The food was being taken for disposal. We have taken all steps to remedy the situation. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience."

By the way, we ordered from Ghandi Palace (which took over from Amin's on Montague Street) and were happy with the food. The aloo mutter gobhi was nicely spiced and they sent extra rice with the order.

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