Ever wonder if Mickey Mouse's cousin took a crap near the burrito you are eating or if that bowl of steaming noodles was perhaps tossed on a dirty counter? Unlike some states which force restaurants to post their health grade boldly in the window, Montrealers need to do their own homework to know if the place they are about to dine in is treating their food AND their clients' safety with the utmost regard. The good news is that this information is easily and publicly available-- the bad news is that you have likely eaten already in some shocking places that have already failed possibly MANY health violations.
An industrious individual named Jeff Wallace has taken all of the City of Montreal health inspection reports which are publicly available via an open data feed and worked them into a brilliant website that delivers the violations in a clear and concise manner AND includes a map interface showing you exactly where the offending establishments are.
Resto-Net is a 100% free website that delivers the shocking news about which Montreal island eateries have faced violations, the REASON for the violations, the amounts they were fined, and how many total violations they have been cited with.
"Noodles U & ME" - a formerly popular asian food restaurant on the corner of Ste. Catherine and St. Marc was frequently busy at all hours. Even I was guilty of frequently eating their sesame beef which I considered to be one of the more tasty versions of this dish. Imagine my shock when I discovered they were the public enemy #1 in health violations of all Montreal dining spots with a whopping eleven (11). Fortunately there were usually ambulance drivers and policemen dining nearby in case someone took violently ill-- they were usually across the street at "Soup And Noodles" which, by the way, has two (2) violations of their own with the last being in 2008. It's no surprise that "U&Me" has been closed now for a few months-- word must have gotten out or the whopping combined $33,650 in fines was too much to handle.
Of the top ten all-time violators, a whopping five of them are asian cuisine. In fact, the largest concentration of violations are coincidentally located within or around asian neighborhoods.
Some shocking violators within popular chain locations are "Cultures", "Salades Arc-En-Ciel", "FranX Supreme", and even an "Amir" thrown in for good measure.
I even managed to find a "Baton Rouge"... maybe there is more to the secret of why their ribs are "fall off the bone" tender.
E.Coli and Salmonella aside, a real concern is Hepatitis A or B which can cause much distress and irreparably damage your liver-- seems like a high price to pay for a tasty bowl of noodles or a shish taouk.
With the new student season upon us and a new crowd of people looking for quick, tasty, and cheap eats for their budget, I strongly recommend that this site is bookmarked and used as a reference to not only plan your dining experience but also potentially prevent a life-threatening illness.
www.resto-net.ca
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