Improper sushi prep procedure and grimy soda dispenser: Latest Stanislaus County inspections
An improper hand-washing procedure was observed during sushi preparation at a Modesto restaurant and the soda dispenser at a gas station had grimy nozzles during health inspections conducted in Stanislaus County in late October.
The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in the county receive two unannounced routine food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.
Food trucks that operate under a Stanislaus County Health Department permit also are inspected by the county, though those are scheduled and done at the department’s office.
Of the 29 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, five were not updated on the site as of Thursday morning.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Modesto Bee reporter Dominique Williams at dwilliams@modbee.com.
Major
Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the weeks of Oct. 21-27. Only the dates of violations are listed.
The details of the reports do not indicate whether a restaurant passed or failed inspection. Corrective actions may have been made by the business by the time of publication.
The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, search the DER website.
The Parched Goat, 6724 E. Whitmore Ave. Suite K in Hughson, had five violations on Oct. 22. The soap and paper towels dispensers at the hand sink in the preparation area were empty. In the bathroom, there were no paper towels and toilet paper was not placed in the dispenser. Food handler cards and the food safety certification were lacking.
BPS Fuel, 2099 W. Orangeburg Ave. in Modesto, had 10 violations on Oct. 23 — six of them major. Milk was measured at 45 degrees inside a refrigerator (must be 41 degrees or colder). A hot-holding unit was being used as a reheating device for bagels, biscuits and burritos. This hot-holding unit had a temperature of 78 degrees. The food items in the unit had a temperature of 79 degrees (must be 135 degrees or higher). The horchata dispenser and soda dispenser nozzles had grime buildup.
The hand-wash station was out of paper towels. The soda machine was leaking water into a pan. The sanitizer solution was not set up and multiple cloth towels were noted with no sanitizer. Sanitizer test strips were not available upon arrival for inspection. The facility had not submitted an application to obtain a permit to operate and a food safety certification was not available.
JP Asian Fusion, 3801 Pelandale Ave. Suite E3 in Modesto, had four violations during an inspection on Oct. 24 which was the result of two complaints. One of the violations was major. The complaints alleged two patrons became ill after dining at the facility. Suspected meals were the 49ers sushi roll, hot green tea and garlic edamame. An employee demonstrated the standard operating procedures for preparing the sushi roll and the edamame and one major violation was observed. During the preparation, an employee dried their hands with a used cloth towel after washing their hands.
An accumulation of food debris was spotted on the floor inside the walk-in freezer. The interior walls of the ice machine were soiled with grime. One ceiling panel above the ice machine was out of place.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 3202 Countryside Drive in Turlock, had 9 violations during an inspection on Oct. 24 which was the result of a complaint. A multi-level pizza wrack, which was holding prepared dough, was observed on the floor of the walk-in refrigerator. There was a leak coming from underneath the basin of a hand-wash sink in the food prep area. Paper towels were observed outside of their dispensers at both hand sinks in the facility. Toilet paper rolls were outside of their dispensers in both bathrooms.
Labels on squeeze containers were lacking. Chlorine test strips were lacking for the mechanical dishwasher. The facility was in the midst of cleaning upon inspection and the back door was open, allowing the possible entrance of vermin. Valid food handler cards were lacking for all employees. Pressurized gas cylinders were not secured to a rigid structure.
Papapavlos Mediterranean Bistro, 1320 Standiford Ave. Suite I2 in Modesto, had four violations on Oct. 25 — one of them major. The paper towel dispenser near the walk-in cooler was empty. The hot water throughout the facility was at 117 degrees (must be 120 degrees minimum). The walk-in freezer was insufficiently lit. A pressurized CO2 cylinder was unfastened to a rigid structure.
Thai House, 3430 Tully Road Suite 2 in Modesto, had eight violations on Oct. 25. The back service screen door had gaps large enough to allow vermin to enter the facility. A drinking water bottle was inside the ice machine. Employee’s personal belongings were stored inside the utensil storage. An accumulation of dirt was on the outside surfaces of the reach-in refrigerator.
Wooden boards were being used as shelves inside the walk-in cooler that had non-smooth, absorbent and not easily cleanable surfaces. The mechanical dishwasher had no sanitizer. The food safety certification and some of the employee’s food handler cards were expired.
Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections are:
Minor violations
According to Stanislaus County, food facilities that had one to two violations, none of them major, are:
- American Italian Bistro Restaurant
- Chili’s Grill & Bar
- Foster Freeze
- Rico’s Pizza
- The Market Modesto/Persuasion Brewing
- TOGO’S, 1190 E. F St. Suite A, Oakdale
No violations
These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:
- Arco ampm, 12725 Yosemite Blvd., Waterford
- Bag O’ Crab
- Boho Buttercream
- Circle D Liquors, 1275 E. F St. Suite 9, Oakdale
- Dave & Buster’s
- Gialai Restaurant
- Malinda Denlinger Cakes & Cookies
- Primos Night Club
- Santa Fe Market
- Scotty’s Donuts
.jpg)