Ox Cart Unable To Reopen This Weekend Reportedly Due To Lack Of DOH Manpower

After Ox Cart Tavern was closed this morning by the Department of Health, they thought they’d have a chance to re-open before the weekend. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen — and according to Ox Cart, it’s because the DOH was perhaps too short-staffed to do a re-inspection.

A message from Ox Cart:

Earlier this afternoon Jim and myself went downtown to the Dept. of Health and got everything in order for getting a re-inspection. The office told us in person that they were going to in fact do an inspection today and then we would open. The clerk then went to a back office for about 30-40 minutes to then CALL (no not speak with him in person while he was in the same office) Jim to inform him that they did not have the manpower for a re-inspection today and we were to be scheduled for Monday at 9am. Ludicrous!

I am in agreement that the DOH needs to be present and that businesses like ours need to be kept in check. We were wrong with our operating procedure plain and simple; the circumstance of why the defrost setting on the walk in box was wrong or anything else doesn’t matter. This was random chance during a busy Thursday night service and still that doesn’t matter (really it doesn’t).

At the same time there NEEDS to be consistency from the DOH on inspections, and a better process to get scheduled re-inspections during the weekend. What about the fact (I have a picture) that this particular inspector had over the shoulder length hair and was walking around during our service to inspect us yet we are REQUIRED to wear hair restraints while around food to be served to the public? There is an obvious double standard that the department employs and small businesses like us are at their MERCY, plain and simple.

Regardless we are scheduled to have our inspection Monday morning and we should be opening Monday evening should all things go according to plan. Our refrigeration units have been properly serviced and we are all in order if the DOH would ever come to oblige us. Ultimately we are very sorry that we cannot provide what we do to Ditmas Park. This causes us a lot of grief as we strive to provide a top quality product and service. We look forward to moving past this setback and seeing the neighborhood’s smiling faces again. Have a great weekend.

–David and Jim

We reached out to the DOH for comment, and will update if we hear anything from them.

Photo by louislouberger