Rodents in a kitchen. Roaches everywhere. Worst SC Midlands January restaurant inspections

There are some restaurants in the Midlands you might want to take a second thought before choosing to visit.

South Carolina Health inspectors inspected hundreds of restaurants in January and found everything from rodents, mold and even a bed inside a storage room.

The following Midland restaurants had health inspection grades of C, which is the lowest achievable grade.

China at 2595 Jefferson Davis Hwy in Aiken

China had a restaurant inspection on Jan 27 and received a score of 72 out of 100.

Inspectors pointed out that plastic food containers that were supposedly clean had residue and organic growth on them. Workers were caught holding cooked food without wearing gloves. Residential pesticides and unlabeled chemicals were stored in the back. Some food containers had no labels. Raw chicken, beef, shrimp and eggs were stored near each other in the same walk-in cooler. Their kitchen hand sink was also blocked at the beginning of the inspection.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers at 505. E. Martintown Road in Aiken

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers had a restaurant inspection on Jan 22 and received a score of 84 out of 100, but still received a C grade.

Lettuce was rotting inside their walk-in cooler, inspectors noticed. Not only that, but black organic growth was spreading in the customer self-serve ice dispensers. Some food had no date markings and a tub of sauerkraut and sliced tomatoes were stored past their expiration date. Excessive grease and grime were building up through the kitchen and refrigerator.

They had a follow-up inspection on Jan. 26 and received an A grade.

#1 China at 785 Augusta Road in Edgefield

#1 China had a restaurant inspection on Jan 22 and received a score of 75 out of 100.

Raw chicken was stored on the floor of their walk-in coolers. They were also caught storing some of their food without a discard date. Inspectors observed raw chicken and beef remnants falling into raw vegetables in the prep cooler. Meat was also seen being stored in plastic thank you bags. Last but not least, there was a bed setup for living in the storage room where seasoning and beverages were stored.

Olde Town Hall Restaurant & Pub at 140 S Palmer Street in Fairfield

Olde Town Hall Restaurant & Pub had a restaurant inspection on Jan 7 and received a score of 71 out of 100.

Inspectors found heavy rodent activity inside the downstairs kitchen and gaps in the backdoor to allow outside elements to enter. Feces were found throughout the storage room. Workers were caught handling food barehanded. Cold food were not stored at proper temperatures. Boxes of frozen chicken were seen thawing on the floor at room temperature. Heavy rust surrounded the wine cooler. Lights weren’t working in the storage area and their stairs and walls were damaged.

They had two follow-up inspections. The first, on Jan 14, resulted in another C grade. The second, on Jan 16, resulted in an A grade.

Captain D’s at 818 SC-1 S in Kershaw

Captain D’s had a restaurant inspection on Jan 30 and received a score of 80 out of 100, which still resulted in a C grade.

Dishes that were stored as clean had grime and food debris on them, inspectors noted. Some food were not refrigerated properly. Dead roaches and heavy roach activity were observed throughout the restaurant. Black growth and grime were growing on cabinets. Equipment throughout the restaurant had grime, grease and food debris building up on them. There were holes in the ceiling and walls. Rust damaged many surfaces in the facility.

This Captain D’s is now permanently closed.

Bodhi Thai Dining at 126 E Main Street in Lexington

Bodhi Thai Dining had a restaurant inspection on Jan 6 and received a score of 73 out of 100.

A fuzzy white growth was seen on produce inside the walk-in cooler. Raw chicken and beef were stored near ready-to-eat food throughout the facility. Dishes were not being properly sanitized by the washing machine. Foods were not stored at proper temperatures. The inspector found that there was a lack of a date marking system. Unapproved pest control chemicals were stored in the back. Soiled wiping cloths were being used on cooking stations.

They had a follow-up inspection on Jan 15 and received an A grade.

26 Pho Boba Korean at 5341 Sunset Blvd in Lexington

26 Pho Boba Korean had a restaurant inspection on Jan 20 and received a score of 75 out of 100.

Their handwashing sink was blocked at the start of the inspection, according to the inspector. Raw eggs were stored above produce and raw chicken was stored above cooked beef inside the walk-in cooler. Many of the foods that were supposed to be cold were well above normal temperatures. There were no discard dates for several food items. Poison pellets for rodents were in use behind the freezers. Some wiping cloths weren’t sanitized.

They had a follow-inspection on Jan 29 and received another C grade.

Longhorn Steakhouse at 902 Gervais Street in Richland

Longhorn Steakhouse had a restaurant inspection on Jan 12 and received a score of 70 out of 100.

An inspector found that employees handled raw food without washing hands before putting on gloves, and handled bread with their hands. The bar handwashing sink was being used to dump food and liquid. Live pests were found inside the restaurant and roaches were hanging out in a container with soup bowls. Food buildup and grime was observed building up on equipment throughout the facility.

They had a follow-up inspection on Jan 23 and received an A grade.