9 failed food safety inspections at Tri-Cities area restaurants, other businesses

Annette Cary
Updated ·3 min read

The Benton Franklin Health District gave failing grades to nine restaurants and other businesses that sell food and drinks in food safety inspections in the first week of April.

One had large amounts of rat droppings in a back room, although that was not among its critical issues.

The district’s food safety team gave passing grades on nine inspections and all but two of those earned perfect scores. They included restaurants, a golf course and one-time events.

In the district’s routine inspections, businesses or organizations that receive 35 points for the more serious red violations are required to have additional inspections and must meet a tougher standard on those.

For followup inspections, they must have fewer than 25 red points and a limited number of repeat problems to pass.

Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illnesses, such as improper temperature control of food, lack of handwashing or bare-hand contact with foods.

Blue violations are low risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given before the inspections.

Inspection results are posted online so residents can look up the status and the details of any violations of individual restaurants.

Go to bit.ly/BFHDinspections. Click on the business name and then on the date of the inspection on the right half of the next page. Look for the “Violations” tab.

Call 509-460-4205 with questions or concerns.

Failed inspections

Costa Vida, 4309 W. 27th Place, Kennewick, Follow-up April 6 (25 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper hot holding (<130°F).

El Tequilas, 109 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Follow-up April 3 (40 Red, 3 Blue)

Notes: Inadequate handwashing facilities, improper cooling procedures, lacking a proper consumer advisory. (5 points)

Finley Shopper (Food service), 222608 E. Game Farm Road, Kennewick, Follow-up April 5 (25 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper hot holding (<130°F).

Gangnam Style Korean BBQ, 7903 W. Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick, Follow-up April 3 (35 Red, 5 Blue)

Notes: Food worker cards not 100%, improper cooling procedures, improper cold holding (42-45°F).

Juliana’s Meat Market (Deli), 5413 W. Van Giesen St., West Richland, Follow-up April 7 (40 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Inadequate handwashing facilities, improperly disposing of potentially unsafe food, raw meat improperly stored, improper reheating procedures for hot holding.

Vista Mart (Food service), 2610 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Follow-up April 4 (10 Red, 3 Blue)

Notes: Food worker cards not 100%, improper cold holding (42-45°F).

Ruben’s Pupuseria Restaurante, 3330 W. Court St., Pasco, Follow-up April 5 (45 Red, 5 Blue)

Notes: Improperly disposing of potentially unsafe food, room temperature storage or improper use of time as a control, improper cold holding (>45°F). The blue violation was for rodents, with large amounts of rat feces underneath shelving and behind a file cabinet in a back room.

Sakura Restaurant, 130 Keene Road, Richland, Follow-up April 7 (85 Red, 3 Blue)

Notes: Inadequate handwashing facilities, improper raw meat handling procedures, improper cooling procedures, room temperature storage or improper use of time as a control, improper cold holding (>45°F).

Wok King, 7011 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick, Follow-up April 7 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper cold holding (>45°F).

Passed inspections

Azteca II, 2807 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick, Follow-up April 4 (10 Red, 3 Blue)

Canyon Lakes Golf Course, 3700 W. Canyon Lakes Drive, Kennewick, Follow-up April 6 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Hot Mess Burgers & Fries, Event, Follow-up April 5 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Panda Express, 401 N. Ely St., Kennewick, Follow-up April 4 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Ron’s Food Mart (TacoMaker), 1821 S. Washington St., Kennewick, Follow-up April 6 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Subway, 2624 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Follow-up April 4 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Tacos Jalisco (Mobile), Event, Follow-up April 5 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Terra Blanca Vintners, 34715 N. Demoss Road, Benton City, Follow-up April 7 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

Wolf and Bear, 713 Ninth St., Benton City, Routine April 7 (0 Red, 0 Blue)