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Here are the restaurants and other food facilities that Riverside County Department of Environmental Health inspectors temporarily shut down because of imminent health hazards between Feb. 11 and 17, 2022.
University Pizza Company, 1201 University Ave. Suite 116, Riverside
- Closed: Feb. 17
- Grade: Not graded
- Reason: No air conditioning. The temperature was almost 98 degrees in the front of the facility and 88 degrees in the back, according to the inspector. A health department spokesperson said that in addition to the air conditioner not working, the pizza oven had been moved from under the exhaust hood — the reason for that day’s visit by the inspector and the Fire Department — and that increased the temperature inside. The restaurant was closed because the heat created unsafe working conditions and the potential for food contamination from sweating employees.
- Reopened: Feb. 18 after the hood was moved and the A/C was repaired
Goody’s Cafe, 82900 Avenue 42 Building A, Indio
- Closed: Feb. 15
- Grade: 81/B, failing
- Reason: Rodent infestation. The inspector noted rat droppings throughout the building, including on packages of cooking skewers and lids in the storage room and on the floors under and around the cook line, condiment station, drive-thru area counter, dishwashing sink, ice machine and shelving. This was the restaurant’s second failed inspection in just over a year.
- Reopened: Feb. 18
- New grade: 90/A, passing
Non-closure inspections of note
Here are selected inspections at facilities that weren’t closed but had significant issues.
Las Brisas Restaurant, at 13180 Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs, was inspected Feb. 17 in response to a complaint claiming someone found a used tissue in their takeout order. The restaurant received a failing grade of 72/C with 18 violations. Among them, a few items including raw fish were at unsafe temperatures in two coolers (one was impounded for not keeping cold), cooked salsa wasn’t being cooled down properly, there were flies in the facility, inside the ice machine was dirty, dishes were being washed without sanitizer, the women’s restroom didn’t have hot water and there was a partially eaten apple on shelving next to customer dishes.
La Tarasca, at 82231 Indio Blvd. in Indio, was inspected Feb. 17 and received a failing grade of 76/C. Among the 17 violations, cooked food wasn’t being cooled down fast enough, one cooler wasn’t keeping cold, two sinks didn’t have hot enough water, a large pot of pork soup was sitting on the floor by the cook line, other boxes and buckets of food were on the floor in the walk-in cooler, and multiple surfaces needed cleaning.
Eastern Buffet, at 49211 Grapefruit Blvd. Suite 7 in Coachella, was inspected Feb. 15 and received a failing grade of 80/B. Among the 16 violations, some crab meat and cheese were at unsafe temperatures in a cooler that wasn’t keeping cold, the employee restroom had no toilet paper or paper towels and a broken soap dispenser, two other handwashing sinks were missing soap dispensers, some food in the walk-in cooler was stored on the floor or without lids, inside the ice machine needed cleaning, and other equipment, walls and floors were also dirty. It now faces a hearing because of its repeated issues: This was its fifth failed inspection in five years, and it was shut down temporarily last year for having a rodent infestation and other unsanitary conditions.
Pieology Pizzeria, at 42500 Bob Hope Drive Suite C in Rancho Mirage, was inspected Feb. 10 in response to a complaint that the restaurant didn’t have hot water. The complaint was correct but the manager fixed the water heater within minutes and the restaurant was not shut down. It did have to throw out 84 pizza dough balls prepared while there was no hot water. It received a failing grade of 80/B with two critical violations. Besides the hot water, two refrigerators were impounded for not keeping cold and the food inside was discarded.
About this list
This list is published online on Fridays. Any updates as restaurants are reopened will be included in next week’s list.
All food facilities in the county are routinely inspected to ensure they meet health codes. A facility loses four points for each critical violation — and may have to close if the violation can’t be corrected immediately — and one or two points for minor violations. An A grade (90 to 100 points) is passing. Grades of B (80 to 89 points) and C (79 or below) are failing and typically require the proprietor to make improvements and be re-inspected.
For more information on inspections of these or any restaurants in Riverside County, visit restaurantgrading.rivcoeh.org. To submit a health complaint about a restaurant, go to www.rivcoeh.org/Complaint or call 888-722-4234 during business hours or 951-782-2968 after-hours.
https://www.pe.com/2022/02/18/rodents-no-air-conditioning-restaurant-closures-inspections-in-riverside-county-feb-11-17