Flies, grime, grease & more. Worst Greenville area restaurant inspections in July

Flies in kitchens, grime and grease on appliances and improper temperature of food were among the findings of South Carolina food inspectors in Greenville County restaurants in July.

Blockhouse Restaurant on Augusta Road in Greenville scored 77, a C, during a routine inspection on July 22.

The inspector from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture found the warewashing machine did not have enough chlorine in the sanitizer, a can opener blade encrusted with food debris and grime and a dirty vegetable slicer.

Various foods were not at proper temperatures, including chicken wings, cheese, chicken salad and shucked oysters.

Thawed, sealed packages held tuna, mahi, red snapper, tilapia and striped bass. A dish machine area was infested with fruit flies.

Clean knives were stored between shelving and a wall, soiled items stored as clean in the dish machine and prep area and several walk-in coolers had an ambient temperature above 41 F.

Ware washing equipment had an accumulation of bio-film, grease and/or grime. Cooking equipment was soiled with grease and food debris as was a stand mixer. Under a sink and on the walls had food debris, grease and grime accumulation as did the fronts, sides and tops of stoves, fryers and ovens. Walk-in cooler fan covers had dust and debris and broken and missing tiles were seen in the men’s bathroom under a urinal.

The restaurant was inspected again on July 25 and despite scoring 96 it earned a C rating.

The inspector found equipment and utensils were not being air dried, wet stacked utensils and equipment were in the warewashing area. Warewashing and cooking equipment and had an accumulation of bio-film, grease and/or grime. Warewashing area walls and surfaces contained food debris, grease and grime accumulation. There was a buildup of grease, grime and food debris on shelving, hood over fryers and walls and in the cook line area.

Tiles were missing under the dish machine and in the men’s bathroom.

On July 1, an inspector graded Group Therapy Pub and Playground 82, a B, during a routine inspection.

The inspector saw multiple open employee beverages stored on food prep surfaces and next to open food, improper temperature in the warewashing machine and a three-compartment sink without quaternary ammonium sanitizer.

An ice scoop in the main kitchen was stored on top of the ice machine, which was soiled with dust. Inside there was black bio-film.

Multiple cutting boards were heavily stained and soiled. Violation not corrected. Multiple spray bottles were labeled in the kitchen, and multiple trays of cooked wings were covered with plastic wrap while cooling.

Flies were in the kitchen and ice buildup was seen in the walk-in cooler condenser unit. Multiple ceiling HVAC vents were heavily soiled with dust over food prep areas.

The business was inspected again on July 9 and was graded 94, but given a C rating.

Chlorine sanitizer concentration was not corrected and the sink did not have the proper ammonium sanitizer. The unlabeled spray bottles were still there.

The restaurant earned a 100, an A, that same day.