Just like in the Beyonce song (and video featuring Lady Gaga – pictured right), photos of a rat in a Toronto eatery were captured “on a video phone.”

Kyle Fisher almost lost his lunch when he saw a rat in a restaurant he frequents.
The Toronto Sun obtained pictures yesterday from a reader of a large rat lounging on tables and chairs of the Famous BBQ Express at 385 Queen St. W.

"I’m shocked. They are really nice people, but I’m not going to eat there anymore."

The Sun took the photos to Toronto Public Health and it immediately arranged for a new inspection of the restaurant, which had a green pass indicating it had received a clean inspection in October.

Jim Chan, food safety manager for public health, said,

"There isn’t a major problem with rats in that area so the problem could be in the restaurant. It’s not normal for a rat to be sitting on a chair being looked at."

Adam Wang, the manager of Famous BBQ Express, says he has an exterminator come in every month but could provide receipts for only 2008.

Wang explained,

"The building is old and I try to do my best. There is an old building being torn down behind us and I think that is where they come from. I feel really bad about it. It could ruin my business in this economy."

The restaurant will remain closed until tomorrow and will have exterminators come in.

This year seven restaurants have been closed because of rats. In October, 2008, rats were seen licking themselves and frolicking in the window of the Happy Seven Restaurant on Spadina Ave. and the images were shown on TV.

After seeing the broadcast, public health slapped a red closure sign on the door.