The lord mayor of Melbourne from 2001-2008, John So, has been charged with running a dirty restaurant by the council he used to lead.

Melbourne City Council has filed charges against Mr So and a company he is a director of, Doshay Pty Ltd, over food safety breaches at the Dragon Boat on the Yarra restaurant.

The case was adjourned in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court yesterday because Mr So’s barrister was unavailable to represent him, so details of the allegedly unhygienic practices could not be read out in the court.

But this is not the first time one of Mr So’s restaurants has come under the glare of Melbourne Council for breaching food regulations.

The Herald Sun reports that on its website, the Dragon Boat on the Yarra claims to specialize in live seafood with "a team consisting of the best chefs in Melbourne."