Chicago Department of Public Health inspectors found rodent feces, mold and other critical violations at a Rogers Park restaurant today, and ordered the Heartland Café to close pending a reinspection.

Health department spokesman Tim Hadac says a customer who became sick after eating at Heartland Café, 7000 N. Glenwood, called 311, prompting inspectors to visit the restaurant this morning.

They found rodent feces throughout the establishment, black, slimy mold dripping into water in an automatic ice machine, and food being stored in improper temperatures. Hadac says the restaurant was ordered to discard about 24 pounds of shredded chicken, chopped vegetables and tofu.

Heartland Café was assessed $1,500 in fines and was ordered to appear at an administrative hearing on April 23. It was the 56^th time in 2009 health inspectors closed a restaurant for health code violations.

“The vast majority of places we inspect are OK. They’re fine,” Hadac says.

“We take food safety seriously and we demand (restaurant owners) do the same. If we find they don’t, down they go,” he says.

He encouraged diners who witness violations to call 311.

“The system works in terms of people notifying us. We count on diners in Chicago, whether they live in Chicago or not, to be our eyes and ears for us.”

Representatives from Heartland Café did not return a call seeking comment.