Roaches, flies and more. These Midlands restaurants had the lowest April inspection ratings
South Carolina health inspectors found a host of violations at restaurants across the Midlands in April, from dead and live roaches, to fruit flies, rat droppings, improperly stored food and facilities and equipment in disrepair.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control each month releases grades and inspection reports for food establishments across Lexington and Richland counties.
Here are the restaurants that received some of the lowest ratings in April.
El Poblano Mexican Restaurant on Dutch Fork Road in Richland
El Poblano was inspected on April 12 and got a C grade.
Inspector observed employee drinks with open tops on prep area over open food and saw partially eaten food over steam table. Employees were not washing hands between points of contamination of changing gloves.
Employees used bare hand contact with top ready to eat food items.
An inspector also observed raw eggs stored over open salsa in a walk-in unit and food stored longer than seven days per label on container.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on April 15 and got an A grade.
Pho Viet on Devine Street in Richland
Pho Viet was inspected on April 27 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed noddles straining at handwashing sink at the time of arrival. Also, certain foods were not being kept at proper holding temperatures.
The mechanical dish machine provided 0 ppm of chlorine as indicated with chlorine test strips.
An inspector also observed water leaking inside of a walk-in cooler.
A required followup inspection has not yet been held.
Liberty at the Lake on Marina Road in Richland
Liberty was inspected on April 28 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed fruit fly activity throughout the kitchen area and both bar areas. Fly activity was also seen in the kitchen and dining areas throughout the bar.
Black build up was seen inside an ice machine.
An inspector observed employees change gloves between points of contamination without hand washing. Also seen were dishes with food matter stored as clean, pans with encrusted matter and plastic wrap residue stored as clean and containers with label residue stored as clean. Six pans of cooked rice were wrapped with plastic and placed behind other panned items not cooling properly.
Encrusted food, grease and grime were noted on the exterior of equipment throughout kitchen areas.
A required followup inspection has not yet been held.
Tienda Mexicana El Mariachi on Decker Blvd in Richland
Tienda Mexicana was inspected on April 5 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed a part for the meat grinder inside of the meat market walk-in cooler with food debris on it. Also observed was certain foods not held or cooled at proper temperatures, bags of flour stored directly on the floor in dry storage and cases of food stored directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler and freezer at meat department and tortilla factory.
Water build up on the bottom of the prep cooler at the tortilla factory side was also seen, along with ice build up in walk-in freezer at tortilla factory side and meat department side.
Worn cutting boards were seen at the meat department.
A followup inspection was held on April 14 and the restaurant got another C grade. A second required followup was held on April 21 and the restaurant got an A grade.
Fatz Southern Kitchen on Main Street in Lexington
Fatz was inspected on April 11 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed dead roaches on the shelving below the make line. The inspector also saw a tray of raw eggs and a box of raw bacon stored directly on top of an unprotected casserole in the walk in cooler.
Also observed was food debris on food contact surfaces that were stored as clean, ice buildup and heavy food debris on the freezer floor, excessive food debris and puddling water at the mop sink and that the freezer floor was buckling between seams and in poor repair.
A required followup inspection was held on April 21 and the restaurant got an A grade.
Lexington County Detention on Gibson Road
The detention center was inspected on April 13 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed rodent droppings in the dry storage area behind and around insulated machinery, as well as behind bulk bagged food items on shelving. The inspector also saw roach casings in the dry storage area behind and around insulated machinery.
Also, certain foods were not kept at proper holding temperatures.
Lexington Detention had a required followup inspection on April 21 and got an A grade.
Nick’s Gyro and Seafood on St. Andrews Road in Lexington
Nick’s Gyro and Seafood was inspected on April 14 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed the presence of roaches and fruit flies in the dish and mop sink storage areas.
Also observed was a build up of grease, grime and food debris on equipment throughout the kitchen, black build up under the dish sink and grease build up, spilled matter and debris on the floors under and around equipment, including cook line and storage.
The restaurant had two required followup inspections on April 21 and April 28 and again got C grades.
Taqueria Chile Caliente on Highway 321 in Lexington
Taqueria was inspected on April 6 and got a C grade.
An inspector observed numerous dead roaches on the floor near the hot water heater.
Also observed was employees handling raw foods, then ready to eat foods without washing hands; employees scratching their heads with gloved hands, then handling foods without washing hands or changing gloves.
Some foods were not cooled, reheated or held at proper temperatures.
The inspector also observed boxed single serve items stored directly on the floor of the storage area and boxes soaking up soiled liquids spilled onto the floor.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on April 15 and got an A grade.
US Wings and Deli on Harbison Blvd. in Lexington
US Wings was inspected on April 8 and got a C grade.
An inspector found a hole in a wall that opened directly to the outside. The inspector also observed employees not washing hands in between points of contamination.
The facility was not documenting times for holding chicken wings at room temperature. Also, various personal items were seen stored with food items and throughout the facility.
The restaurant had a required followup inspection on April 18 and got an A grade.
