Rodent droppings, roaches baked into kitchen grime at Cafe Blah Blah

Cockroaches and rodent droppings were found baked into grease at a popular restaurant in Melbourne's southeast - and its owner was looking to expand his empire, a court was told.

Cafe Blah Blah proprietor Tony Wong faces a maximum fine of $1.6 million while his business, Lapont International Management Pty Ltd, could be slugged five times that amount.

Melbourne magistrate Simon Garnett is expected to sentence Wong next month.

The restaurateur and his company pleaded guilty to 40 charges stemming from breaches of the Food Standards Code.

Prosecutor Mathew Sherwell told the court health inspectors had found dead and live cockroaches on the floor, walls and benchtops in August.

He said there were also rodent faeces baked into grease around the kitchen of the Mordialloc restaurant and food was not refrigerated nor stored safely.

The court was told Kingston City Council inspected the premises after a complaint of food poisoning.

But defence lawyer Peter Harris said Wong - who had owned the cafe for more than seven years - had invested $25,000 to clean up the restaurant.

"He's clearly serious about getting the business back on the rails," Mr Harris said, adding that "the council had the authority to close down the premises - they did not do that".

He said Wong was planning to open another restaurant next to the cafe, on Main St, from "the ground up" so it would be modern.

Mr Sherwell said inspectors found more pest droppings, cockroaches and dirt when they returned earlier this month.

But Australian Food Hygiene Services boss Marjorie Harvey told the court she was impressed with the improvements made at the restaurant.

Mr Sherwell told the court he thought a fine of up to $80,000 would be appropriate.

Source: The Herald Sun, 26 March 2013