Moldy ice dispensers, food stored without lids: See latest Stanislaus County inspections

Dominique Williams
·6 min read

As many as 14 violations were noted at a single Stanislaus County food facility during health inspections conducted in mid-February — some of the violations repeated from previous inspections.

Food stored on the floor, clothing stored on top of food, and small, nonfood items stored loosely above food were some of the things inspectors spotted while making their rounds at facilities throughout the county.

The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in Stanislaus County receive two routine unannounced food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.

Of the 89 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Wednesday, eight 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 for some Stanislaus County restaurants

The following Stanislaus County restaurants had violations the week of Feb. 12-16. 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.

Yosemite Lanes Restaurant, 2301 Yosemite Blvd. in Modesto, had six violations during a routine inspection Feb. 12 — two of them major, according to the department. Inspectors observed cooked beans cooling at room temperature in the kitchen. The kitchen floor, walk-in refrigerator floor and dry food storage room floor had dirt and other buildup. Some shelving in the walk-in refrigerator was rusted.

Five of the six violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Feb. 20. Parts of the kitchen floor still had dirt and debris buildup.

Kabul Express Market, 2001 Tully Road Suite A/B in Modesto, had four violations during a routine inspection Feb. 12 — two of them major. The walk-in refrigerator that stores dairy was observed two degrees warmer than required by the California Health and Safety Code. The paper towel dispenser in the bakery room was empty. Both major violations were corrected at the time of reinspection.

The health permit and food safety certification were not available during the inspection.

Pizza Guys #143, 1421 Crows Landing Road in Modesto, had 14 violations during a routine inspection Feb. 13 — five of them major. Inspectors observed two repeat violations: The ventilation hood had grease and dust accumulation and a bulk container of flour next to a sink had the scoop stored directly inside it, contacting the food.

A plastic table was being used in the preparation room, the walk-in fridge was two degrees warmer than required by code and the sanitizer dispenser at the three-compartment sink was in disrepair. A can opener was heavily soiled with dry food accumulation, the pizza oven was heavily soiled with grease and dry food accumulation and the floors in the walk-in fridge were soiled with food debris.

Inspectors observed a box of creamy garlic sauce stored directly on the floor in the walk-in fridge. There were water leaks at the food-prep area hand-washing sink and the bathroom sink. The wall behind the hand-washing sink was heavily rusted.

All 14 violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Feb. 28.

Jack in the Box #4394, 2301 Crows Landing Road, Suite A, in Modesto, had seven violations during a routine inspection Feb. 13 — four of them major. Inspectors observed grime accumulation by the door and the side of the refrigerator next to the grill. The door of this refrigerator did not close all the way and was not able to maintain proper temperature. The refrigerator by the drive-thru window was noted with a temperature three degrees above what’s required by code.

The dishwasher — which displayed a note that read “equipment not in use, work order pending” — was observed in use and with a zero ppm sanitizer concentration level (50 ppm is required in final rinse of dishwasher). The floors throughout the facility were heavily soiled, the grill had heavy grease accumulation and the hood above the grill was heavily soiled with grease.

Four of the seven violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Feb. 27. Both refrigerators had not been repaired.

Hong Kong Restaurant, 901 N. Carpenter Road #47 in Modesto, had four violations during a routine inspection Feb. 14. Inspectors observed several cardboard boxes stored in the hallway that leads directly from the kitchen to an exit, making the hallway inaccessible. The sanitizer in the dishwasher was at zero ppm.

Mold and grime accumulation was observed on the ice chute within the dispenser of the ice machine. Tools, bolts, rubber bands and other small, nonfood items were found stored loosely on a shelf above several containers of food items within the food preparation area.

All four violations were noted as corrected during a reinspection Feb. 21.

Carnitas El Bajio #2, 1701 Standiford Ave., Suite A, in Modesto, had 10 violations during a routine inspection Feb. 14 — three of them major. The cold-holding unit on the prep table was two degrees warmer than required by code. The hot-holding unit was 26 degrees cooler than required. Both violations were corrected at the time of reinspection.

Inspectors observed the hand soap dispenser in the food prep area was empty. Some bulk food containers were stored in the walk-in fridge without lids, exposing the food inside of them to cross contamination. Raw chicken was stored above an open cardboard box of raw beef. Bags of clothing were stored on top of bulk containers of rice, and sanitizer chemical bottles were stored beside the containers of rice.

The soda dispenser in the dining room was mildly soiled and the interior surface of the ice machine was soiled with moldlike growth.

Saigon One, 901 N. Carpenter Road #61 in Modesto, had six violations during a routine inspection Feb. 14. An Igloo cooler was being used as a storage container for bulk noodles. Employees scoop a serving from the cooler, blanch the serving in hot water, cool the serving and then plate it, the inspector observed. After blanching noodles in hot water on the stovetop, an employee was observed rinsing the noodles in a five-gallon bucket of water that was directly on the floor.

Grime accumulation was noted on the wall behind the three-compartment sink and on the wall above the mop sink. Dish racks were being stored beneath the three-compartment sink on a sheet of plywood.

Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections include:

Which Stanislaus County facilities had little to no violations?

According to Stanislaus County, food facilities that had zero to two violations, none of them major, are: