Local restaurant health violations: Cockroaches close facilities at Westin Rancho Mirage

Four facilities in the Coachella Valley were closed by Riverside County environmental health inspectors due to cockroach infestations and a lack of hot water, according to reports conducted the week of Sept. 15 through 22.

Closures impacted one Del Taco location in Palm Springs, three sites within the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa and the sole Cathedral City location of Santorini Greek Café.

All four facilities were also "out of compliance" in several other categories, leading to "B" or "C" grades, which means they did not pass their inspection.

Major violations pose an imminent risk to public health and warrant the immediate closure of a food facility or immediate correction, while minor violations do not pose a public health risk, but do warrant correction.

3 major violations (score of 76 out of 100)

Pinzimini at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, 71-333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage

• Inspector observed an infestation of German cockroaches at the cooklines, cookware wash area and the flooring under the cooking equipment.

• No sanitizer was available for use in the facility. | Dishwasher was impounded.

• The inspector observed improper hot and cold food holding temperatures. | Food items were discarded and refrigeration units were impounded.

• Minor violations include: paper towel dispenser was empty at the cooks line hand wash sink; gaps in doors; inadequate food storage; using milk crates as storage bins and rusting shelving in the back cookline area; detailed cleaning needed on microwave, ice maker, cookline drawer refrigerator, cooking equipment (exterior), cookline shelving, counter top steam table, all refrigerators and shelving units; improper storage of utensils and equipment; broken thermometer; linens stored with food products inside the refrigerator; bags of trash being stored in the open trailer of a box truck; personal items stored by the cookline; detailed cleaning needed on walls and floors.

• The facility has been closed.

3 major violations (score of 81 out of 100)

Del Taco #1040, 102 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs

• Inspector observed an employee washing dishes while the water heater was not properly operational and the sanitizer container was running low, meaning the facility is unable to properly clean and sanitize food contact surfaces.

• Consistent hot water of 100 degrees Fahrenheit was not observed during inspection.

• The inspector observed multiple flies throughout the kitchen, food storage area, and warewashing area. The flies were observed to be landing on active food prep counter tops, utensils and ingredients.

• Minor violations include: Failure to keep doors closed/keep flies and other vermin out; multiple open food containers with flies hovering around and on top of them; torn gaskets at undercounter refrigerator in the drive-thru service area; grease, drink splatter and other debris build-up in various areas of the kitchen; leak in the mop sink faucet; and floors in need of thorough cleaning.

• The facility has been closed and a reinspection date has been scheduled for one week from this date of inspection on Sept. 28.

2 major violations (score of 75 out of 100)

*The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa banquet kitchen, 71-333 Dinah Shore Drive, Rancho Mirage

• Inspector observed the facility to be lacking a means of sanitizing food contact surfaces, equipment and utensils.

• Inspector observed several live and dead cockroaches around the cooks line and cleaning areas.

• Minor violations include: lack of paper towels by handwashing stations; debris inside of the ice machine; gaps between doors and insect-control devices near food-related areas; an accumulation of biofilm along the interior of the ice machine, uncovered food items inside of the walk-in refrigerator and open bulk food items in the main dry storage room; an unlabeled bottle of blue chemicals; equipment not in good repair; cleaned flatware utensils stored on the floor and a leak coming from the ceiling in the ware washing area; an exhaust hood could not be turned on during the inspection; wiping cloths stored on the counters; piled trash bags stored inside of an open box trailer truck because trash compactor was in disrepair; a broom and a dust pan stored against a prep table; missing ceiling tiles and a leak from the ceiling; food/food debris, an accumulation of grease and standing water throughout the facility.

• The facility has been closed. Due to repeated failed inspections within a two-year period, an administrative hearing will be held at 8 a.m. Sept. 27 at the Palm Springs Environmental Health Office located at 554 S. Paseo Dorotea, Suite 1, in Palm Springs.

1 major violation (score of 76 out of 100)

Santorini Greek Café, 68-375 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City

• Hot water of 120 degrees Fahrenheit was not observed during inspection.

• Minor violations include: expired food manager certificate; employee using a wiping cloth to clean gloved hands; three large containers of sauces at temperatures slightly above cold food temperatures; improper cooling methods; gaps around rear door; unapproved thawing method; pita bread wrapped inside an unclean wiping cloth, raw shell eggs and personal food items stored above bags of lettuce and ice cubes stored inside grocery torn bags on top of raw meat; a container of bug spray stored near file cabinet in hallway; unapproved and not in good repair utensils and equipment; unclean curtain at food preparation area; improper storage of utensils; broken thermometer; improper storage of wiping cloths; cracked floor tiles and broken base cove tiles; no food handler cards available at time of inspection.

• The facility has been closed. A re-inspection scheduled date and time will follow.

Grade A restaurants

An "A" grade, or a score of 90 to 100 points, means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards.

Cathedral City

• McDonald's, 31-545 Date Palm Drive

• Taqueria El Guero, 34-481 Date Palm Drive, Suite 2H

• Domino's Pizza #8485, 31-855 Date Palm Drive

• The Habit Burger Grill, 31-465 Date Palm Drive

Indian Wells

• Toscana Country Club, 76-011 Via Club Villa

Indio

• The Loaded Up Truck, 83-711 Peach St.

• Better Ice Cream, 42-250 Jackson St., Suite C102

• China Star, 81-022 Highway 111, Suite B

La Quinta

• My Thai, 46-520 Washington St., Suite 3

• Subway Sandwich Shops, 79-740 Highway 111, Suite 103

• Stuft Pizza Bar & Grill, 78-015 Main St. #100

Palm Desert

• Casa Blanca, 72-286 Highway 111, Suite J 3-4

• Indian Ridge Country Club (includes snack bar and JK's Cafe), 76-375 Country Club Drive

• Cafe' Des Beaux-Arts, 73-640 El Paseo 1

• Lappert's Ice Cream, 73-221 Highway 111

• Il Sogno at El Paseo, 73-375 El Paseo F

Palm Springs

• Michael's House, 1910 S. Camino Real

• Del Marcos Hotel, 225 W. Baristo Road

• Ben & Jerry's, 110 S. Palm Canyon Drive

• The Thirsty Palms Restaurant & Bar, 134 S. Palm Canyon Drive

• I Heart Mac & Cheese, 190 S. Indian Canyon Drive

• Jack in the Box #3583, 694 S. Palm Canyon Drive

• L'Atelier Cafe, 129 La Plaza

• Raising Cane's, 5601 Ramon Road

Rancho Mirage

• Fireside Lounge at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, 71-333 Dinah Shore Drive

• Enzo's Bistro & Bar, 70-030 Highway 111

Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for the week of Sept. 15 through 21 in Coachella and Desert Hot Springs.

This weekly report was compiled using restaurant grading reports from the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.

*Correction: An earlier version of this story named the wrong Westin property as having a C rating. The correct property name has since been put in the story.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cockroach infestation, lack of hot water close 3 restaurants in valley