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Food contamination risk an issue for several Stanislaus County restaurants

Restaurant inspections

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Several Stanislaus County food facilities were in violation of the health code for food contamination risks in early 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.

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Of the 68 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, five were not updated on the site as of Thursday morning.

Major violations

Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of Oct. 6-12. 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.

El Rosal, 2985 Renzo Lane, Suites A and B, in Patterson, had four violations on Oct. 7 — two of them major. Raw pork chops were stored atop frozen vegetables and ready-to-eat food in the freezer. Raw shrimp was stored atop broths and soups in the refrigerator. A box of tortillas was stored on the floor in the kitchen. The handwashing sink by the bar was inoperative. One of the kitchen employee’s food handler cards expired in February.

Mei Mei, 1040 W. Las Palmas Ave., Suite G, in Patterson, had three violations on Oct. 7 — one of them major. Raw chicken was stored next to fried shrimp in the refrigerator. Uncooked corn was stored directly on top of packaged, raw meat in the freezer. A live cockroach was seen underneath a prep table in the kitchen. One of the employee’s food handler cards expired in 2024.

Carnitas Michoacan, 2228 Mitchell Road in Ceres, had six violations on Oct. 8 — three of them major. Raw food was stored next to and above ready-to-eat food in the fridge. Multiple containers of food were stored on the floor of the fridge, and multiple containers were uncovered. Cooking equipment was greater than four feet from the lip of the mechanical exhaust hood ventilation. Food and utensils were stored on cardboard. Indirect waste connections were lacking throughout the facility. One violation remained during a reinspection on Oct. 21.

Kua Lao Thai Kitchen, 411 H St. in Modesto, had six violations on Oct. 8. There were unlabeled containers of ingredients in the kitchen. There was a stainless steel scrubber in the handwashing sink. The bathroom door was not self-closing. An air gap was lacking from the waste lines to the floor sink. The distance from the stock pot stove to the inside lip of the hood was greater than 48 inches. A vacuum breaker was lacking in the mop sink.

Domino’s Pizza, 838 Oakdale Road in Modesto, had four violations on Oct. 8 — three of them major. The hot water at two handwashing sinks was turned off: Facility employees said the hot water line was leaking. The water temperatures at the sinks were 72 degrees and 82 degrees (must be between 100 and 108 degrees). The facility lacked a valid health permit on the wall for public viewing.

Aqua Blue Store, 411 H St. in Modesto, had three violations on Oct. 8. A refrigerator had an ambient temperature of 42 degrees and contained potentially hazardous foods (must be 41 degrees or lower). A self-closing device was lacking on the bathroom door. A vacuum breaker was lacking in the mop sink.

Newman Food Store, 1505 N St. in Newman, had six violations on Oct. 9 — one of them major. The walk-in refrigerator was holding eggs and milk at 47 degrees. The soda nozzles were soiled with a black/green growth. The vent covers in the walk-in fridge had dust accumulation. The bathroom lacked paper towels and the dispenser was in disrepair. The sanitizing solution for ware washing was not at 100ppm. Sanitizer test strips were lacking.

Bamboo Garden, 111 S. Maag Ave., Suite K, in Oakdale, had six violations on Oct. 10 — three of them major. Raw onions were located inside the mop sink at the time of the inspection. Multiple food contact surfaces were soiled with debris accumulation. Sanitizer buckets as well as the dishwasher didn’t contain sanitizer. The prep fridge held potentially hazardous foods at an internal food temperature of 42 degrees. Food handler cards were lacking.

Denny’s, 110 McHenry Ave. in Modesto, had one major violation on Oct. 10. The floor sink was draining “very slowly,” inspectors said. The drainage pipe from the three-compartment sink was disconnected. A staff member reconnected the pipe and ran the water. When the sink was turned on for 30 seconds, it quickly filled up and overflowed onto the floor tiles. After 30 minutes, it still had not drained properly and was still full. The facility voluntarily closed due to the violation. Inspectors said before the facility could reopen, it must correct all violations and provide a repair invoice as proof of compliance.

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 or two violations, none of them major, are:

No violations

These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:

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Dominique Williams
The Modesto Bee
209-253-9007
Dominique Williams writes about new business, restaurant and retail developments for The Modesto Bee. She is a Ripon native and a graduate of Sacramento State.
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