Dominique Ansel Bakery is the well known home of the cronut in New York and people usually line up for a chance to taste the delicious pastry, but not today. The NYC Health Department shut the bakery down after a video of mice in the bakery found its way to YouTube. From The LA Times:
“It was the video that someone posted on YouTube of a small mouse running across the floor of the bakery for five seconds that led us to become a target of the DOH,” said Dominique Ansel spokeswoman Amy Ma in an email. “They’ve asked us to get exterminated, which takes two days. So we hope to be opened mid-day on Monday.”
Ma said that the health department also has required the bakery to re-cement its floor, which will be done over the weekend. “We of course believe that we run a clean and good operation, but see that we were targeted and will rise to the occasion to be even better.
“Chef says we will be doing everything that was asked of us. … And he’s saddened for our customers who had plans this weekend that we weren’t able to welcome them. Our team will be here in person to speak to customers live.”
The video in question is posted below and it is far less terrifying than the rat infested Dunkin Donuts. Given that incident, I’m not shocked that officials targeted the bakery. This isn’t even the first time for Dominique Ansel, having been cited for rodents back in October despite receiving an A rating. These cronut fans might explain why:
At least one Cronut fan was nonchalant about mouse-gate. “This is New York. Anyone who operates under the pretense that their food is ‘clean’ is delusional,” said Christina Chaey, a staff editor at HowAboutWe Media in Brooklyn. “Also, let’s just say if I ate a Cronut, then found out the next day it had been ravaged by mouse paws, I wouldn’t regret having eaten it. They are delicious.” (via)
I still don’t think I’d want to risk hantavirus with my cronut, but I’ve also never had a cronut either. I’m not privy to the supposed delicious experience involved and my fears of illness are far greater. At the same time, rodents are a part of the New York experience and you should always expect them to rear their ugly heads.