Part one: 'Dirty Restaurants'

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Each and every day, Americans spend more than $1.5 billion eating out.  But do you know what you are eating?

NewsChannel 18 conducted an investigation into hundreds of pages of documents to find the most frequent and most flagrant violators.

They run the gamut, from all-you-can-eat buffets to pricey restaurants.  There's even a couple hotels.  If one toes through them, it leads you to the conclusion that just because the table setting is nice doesn't mean the kitchen is always pretty.

Nanking Restaurant leads the way with 43 violations in 2011. They include 17 critical violations. Those are violations which can make you sick.

Some included inspectors finding a fuzzy white substance found in and around the fridge on multiple occasions and raw meats stored above cooked food.  Food inspectors issued four warnings and also fined Nanking.

Bluefin Bistro in downtown Lafayette is second on the list with 22 violations in 2011.  Sixteen were critical. They also received one warning. 

Food inspectors found numerous flies and gnats in the dish machine area. There were numerous potentially dangerous temperature violations at a place known for sushi.  Instead of the required 41 degrees or below, raw fish eggs measured at 68 degrees, tuna and salmon at 50 degrees.

Taqueria El Maguey was the third most frequent violator with 20 violations in 2011.  Fifteen were deemed critical.  Food inspectors also issued two warnings.  There were more temperature violations including chicken tamales cooked the previous day were still 54 degrees in the fridge a day later.  Plus, raw beef was stored over a bucket of raw onions.

Nanking and Bluefin refused comment on the results of the investigation.

But Taqueria El Maguey allowed us into their kitchen as they prepared for lunch. 

Assistant Manager Yanin Gamboa said things have changed.

Gamboa showed us a new fridge for the salsas and a new food prep table.  There was also a new sign in both Spanish and English showing the proper locations for various raw foods. 

"Everything is in order, not all over the place like it was," Gamboa said. 

Gamboa said the new equipment and a new understanding of food safety rules have turned things around.  Plus, she said the management up front has changed in the last year.

"It was good that they came because then we can fix our mistakes to make it better so this doesn't happen again," Gamboa said.

As for the year 2012 and how many violations inspectors will find, she said, "I'm hoping none because everything has been corrected.  But nobody is perfect."

During the investigation, NewsChannel 18 discovered some of the most frequent violators in 2010 were not inspected twice in 2011.  We'll explain one reason for the drop-off in part two.

In the meantime, click here for the ten most frequent violators in 2011 .

In part two of "Dirty Restaurants", food officials share what they do to get the dirtiest places to clean up their acts and make it safer for customers.