The Health Department forced Viand Cafe on 75th street and Broadway to close temporarily after inspectors found several health violations. The cafe, a longtime fixture in the neighborhood, racked up 55 violations points in an inspection on September 30. It was still closed as of Wednesday, a tipster told us.
On September 21, an inspector also cited the cafe for an unnamed “nuisance created or allowed to exist. Facility not free from unsafe, hazardous, offensive or annoying conditions.” It was not closed at that time.
The following is from the DOH:
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) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
3) Insufficient or no refrigerated or hot holding equipment to keep potentially hazardous foods at required temperatures.
4) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
5) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
6) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
Image via Google Streetview.
And here I thought the cause was that awful jelly they serve with breakfast. What’s up with that stuff? And what’s wrong with Smuckers?
Anyway, I’ve been going there for years and like the place. I hope all gets cleared up so I can return for the chicken salad platter! 😛
Thank you, Bret – I thought I was the only one who noticed the “Brand X’ flavorless jelly the serve in those little paper cups. I’ve never come across jelly like that in any other diner.
This place has been terrible for a looong time. Only half awake and starving tourists frequent the place now. Are there any good diners left in the hood?! Someone please open a decent diner – you will do very well.
I noticed a pattern years ago that I have had terrible dining experiences with restaurants that start with the letter “V” and are also located on a corner: Viand, Virage,Vibe,Vinyl,Vesleka, … I categorically avoid them now!
Many of my friends have had the same experiences but never connected the dots… Anyone else have a bad “V” meal on a corner?
Not to mention the criminal overcharging
This is very surprising!! I love Viand and know that it is the best diner around – by far!! The food has always been great and the staff friendly. I look forward to going back and enjoying my meals.
I am sorry that Viand let their standards slip. I still think it’s the best alternative in the neighborhood and will go back as soon as it is open. The absolute BEST diners on the UWS are City, Metro, and Manhattan, all above 90th St and all owned by the same family. I often walk there for my diner fix. I keep asking the management when they will open in the 70s or 80s. Their reply is that they keep looking but the rents are impossible below 90th St and there is no way they could make a living with those rents.
I’m a Viand fan and was wondering what was up the last couple days. Thanks WSR! Hope they reopen soon.
I am not surprised!
A few years ago I was eating at Viand with a friend. She found a hair in her food. The waiter took her plate away and brought another.
My friend found another hair! The manager came over and said that it was too much of a coincidence – we had to have planted them!
I have been going to Viand since they first opened and have never once had a negative experience. They have a solid reputation and this was unfortunate to hear. Glad to find out they reopened quickly!! This place is a neighborhood stable. Can’t wait to go back for that Lamb burger!
A mouse scuttled across the floor the first and last time I was there (we headed out the door shortly after that), so I’m not at all surprised.
“This place is awful! I saw a roach/rat/mouse/small armadillo once!”
“This place smells funny!”
“It’s about time! What a dump.. Who even eats at diners anymore? Gross…”
…ugh, so predictable.
Mice happen. Armadillos happen (ok, maybe SOMEWHERE). Hair happens. Its not pleasant – but it happens.
My problem wasn’t so much that it happened twice (in one visit) but that the manager accused us of planting them!
(and it was still pretty gross!)
Well, if we’re going to do an informal poll on UWS diners, I’ll cast my vote for Cafe 82, on Broadway at 82nd Street. Been going there for years. It’s clean, the food is good and it’s reasonably priced. On top of that, the staff are uniformly nice, even friendly, from the owners and managers to the servers. It’s clear that they want to be in the neighborhood and that they want to be neighbors. I like patronizing the place.
Unfortunately, they only serve Frank’s Red Hot sauce, a poor alternative to Tabasco.
Not to go too far off topic, I *strongly* disagree. Frank’s has more heat and more flavor; Tabasco is little more than food coloring.
And with that said, I’ve never asked for hot sauce at Cafe 82, but if it’s true that they are a Frank’s purveyor, well, that would just make me like them even more.
My Vote = Frank’s far superior then Tabassco
My Favourite Diners = Utopia on 72nd /Amsterdam and Also City /Manhattan Diners on broadway ..Great Staff and Food
Too funny!
I was just there this morning and got Tapatio, not Franks/Tabasco! We love Cafe 82 too!
I like Olympic flame diner on 60th and Amsterdam. It’s clean, fast and reliably good.
I agree with Lucette about the Olympic Flame diner although I frequent the one on 9th/58th St.
Viand: ordered tuna on a bagel. Got charged for a tuna sandwich and an extra bagel. They claim that’s how it works. Asked for the bread I didn’t get, to take home. Was told that they could not do that b/c the bread subsidized the higher price of the bagel…? And it all cost considerably more than any other place in the neighborhood.
We have enjoyed eating at Viand for years – good food, nice variety, family friendly. Looking forward to returning soon.
I have to say I am truly a big fan of Viand and by far the best diner around. It’s more of a restaurant than a diner anyway. I’ve seen so dumpy horrible restaurants and diners in NYC not to mention names-those are the diners that should get shut down by the health dept. they had a small issue which thankfully was resolved. The atmosphere is so welcoming and they are always so accommodating. Love having them in my neighborhood!!!
I know it’s not really a “diner” but the cafe/restaurant/diner across the street at Fairway blows this place away. It’s a million times better and probably cheaper. Try it. Fairway Cafe.
Fairway has great food no doubt but Mitch “I need anger management classes” who runs the place makes it hard to stomach.
I agree it is unique and has potential, but the service at Fairway cafe is terrible! And they get our order wrong most of the time, or just put whatever they want on the plate. Very poorly run.
Fairway Cafe is NOT cheap!! I paid $15 for mediocre soup and a soda. I’d like the salads better if they were enough to fill me up. I have friends that love the place. So I meet them having already eaten.
I like cafe 82 – but they got a bad write-up last week (not closed down like Viand) (in the Spirit)
The decor is nice but not great and the service is often lacking but the food is very good.
To think that you could order an omelette with a choice of 9 different types flies is mouth watering.
I’ve ordered delivery from them on seamless several times and always found it quite good. Olympic Diner is pretty good too, for those in the Lincoln Square area.
Second Utopia, many of my out-of-town friends insist on eating there when they visit.
I also like Old John’s, Kinda hidden on 67th Street between B’way and Amsterdam.
Also Pier 72 on 72nd and West End.
All of those are pretty convenient to the 72nd St 1-2-3 station.
The Viand on Madison above 78th St. has also been closed by the Dept. of Health. An official sign and another mentioning plumbing repairs are in the windows that are otherwise papered over.