Live roaches, flies in kitchen & more. Worst SC Midlands restaurant inspections in June

Going out to eat is one of the most common traditions in South Carolina, and while there are some amazing restaurants to choose from, not every place serves food in the cleanest of conditions.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture finished its Midlands restaurant inspections for June, showing the restaurants with the worst food grades. Some restaurants were caught having unsanitary kitchens that could pose health risks for their customers.

The following Midland restaurants had health inspection grades of C, which is the lowest achievable grade. All received follow-up inspections and received A grades:

La Escondida at 168 Rainbow Falls Rd in Aiken

La Escondida in Aiken had a restaurant inspection on June 10 and received a score of 93, but still got a C grade for consecutive violations.

The inspector found that some refrigerated items weren’t properly stored at the correct temperature, and the prep cooler wasn’t working properly. Additionally, there were an excessive number of live roaches crawling around the kitchen during the inspection.

La Escondida had a follow-up inspection on June 22 and received an A grade.

Walmart DELI/BAKERY at 11391 Dunbarton Blvd in Barnwell

Walmart’s deli/bakery in Barnwell had a restaurant inspection on June 4 and received a score of 98, but still received a C grade for a consecutive violation.

The only thing that the inspector found that caused the deli to receive such a poor grade was the excessive presence of flies throughout the food prep area and on food contact surfaces.

Walmart’s deli/bakery had a follow-up inspection on June 19 and received an A grade.

La Nueva San Jose at 912 Kendall Rd in Newberry

La Nueva San Jose in Newberry had a restaurant inspection on June 11 and received a score of 61.

During the inspection, workers were caught not washing their hands before starting tasks, and their hand sink was filled with pots and pans upon the inspector’s arrival. The restaurant was selling unapproved eggs in their front display case, and the inspector saw raw eggs stored next to packages of cheese.

Multiple dishes that were stored as clean had leftover food debris still on them. Both hot and cold food items weren’t stored at their correct holding temperatures. There was no date marking system in place to see when food needed to be discarded. A can of Raid, the insect control spray, was found near one of the restaurant’s walk-in coolers.

Roaches were found throughout the kitchen. Sauce and a bag of onions were seen stored on the floor. Grease wasn’t being properly disposed of. Trash and debris were seen behind the facility.

La Nueva San Jose had a follow-up inspection on June 15 and received an A grade.

Bojangles at 7385 Two Notch Rd in Richland

Bojangles in Richland had a restaurant inspection on June 12 and received a score of 75

The inspector saw employees not wash their hands when switching tasks. One of their hand sinks wasn’t working at the time of the inspection. Their fryer baskets and grills had excessive grease buildup. Some of their cold items weren’t stored at the correct temperatures.

Some food items weren’t properly labeled. Flies were observed in the kitchen area. Freezer food was stacked on the floor. An employee was seen not wearing a hair restraint while working. Kitchen equipment had food and grease buildup, and there was grease on the ceiling tiles. Trash was littered on the ground.

Bojangles had a follow-up inspection on June 18 and received an A grade

Tony’s Express Restaurant at 5496 Forest Dr in Richland

Tony’s Express Restaurant in Richland had a restaurant inspection on June 3 and received a score of 72.

An employee was caught not washing their hands with soap. The inspector noticed there were not enough hand sinks in the restaurant. Raw chicken and beef were stored next to each other in the same pan. Some food items weren’t covered in the walk-in cooler or freezer.

Employees were seen handling raw seafood and didn’t wash their hands before touching containers of ready-to-eat foods. Chemicals were stored next to clean equipment. Live roaches were seen crawling around the kitchen. Dead roaches were also found in the dining room.

Tony’s Express Restaurant had a follow-up inspection on June 10 and received another C grade. They had another follow-up inspection on June 12 and received an A grade.

Persis Indian Grill at 1504 Carolina PL Drive #101 in York

Persis Indian Grill in York had a restaurant inspection on June 10 and received a score of 73.

The inspector saw an employee handle raw food and then touch ready-to-eat food. One of their hand sinks wasn’t reaching its required temperature and didn’t have soap. The bar ice machine had dirt and debris build up on the inside of the back wall.

Some of the restaurant’s cold food items weren’t stored at their needed temperatures. Food was stored in t-shirt bags inside their cooler and freezer. The drink dispenser also had dirt and debris on it.

Persis Indian Grill had a follow-up inspection on June 17 and received an A grade.