Pink slime, mold and a roach and spider. Worst Myrtle Beach area restaurant inspections
Myrtle Beach area restaurants were recently found to have pink slime in an ice machine, mold in a walk-in cooler, a live roach, a spider and its web in a bag of flour, and many other violations.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control does health inspections for restaurants within Horry County and the surrounding area, with data current as of Feb. 21, 2024.
These were the worst restaurant inspections in the Myrtle Beach area.
China Buffet
Location: 1105 Church Street, Conway
Score: 78 percent
SCDHEC, who has flagged China Buffet in the past, inspected the Conway eatery Feb. 15, 2024, and found several violations.
The inspection found a spider and spider webs in a bag of flour, which was corrected. The SCDHEC report also found the interior of an ice machine had a slimy mold build-up. Shelving within a walk-in cooler also had mold on it, while grease, grime, dirt, and debris were found in several locations at the eatery.
Meanwhile, uncovered raw chicken was stored on top of a box of oranges, a seafood salad container and a bowl used for raw chicken sat in the prep cooler for raw shrimp. These issues were corrected during the inspection.
SCDHEC found food stored on the floor in a walk-in cooler and uncovered and the dish machine had a heavy lyme build-up, all consecutive violations. Among other violations, China Buffet’s kitchen ceiling has a large crack in it, according to SCDHEC’s report.
China Buffet is required to have a follow-up, on-site inspection before Feb. 23, 2024, for several violations, according to the report. Failure to address could result in further downgrading for the eatery, according to SCDHEC’s inspection.
King Kong Sushi Bar & Grill
Location: 2144 Oakheart Road, Myrtle Beach
Score: 78 percent
Inspected by SCDHEC Feb. 16, 2024, King Kong Sushi had pink slime build up in its ice machine on the deflector plate. SCDHEC also found bleach sanitizer stored with bottled beverages behind the bar, which was corrected. The hand sink had ice in it, and some foods were not held at the correct holding temperatures, which were both correct.
Sushi was not marked with a date and time, while some food containers did easily identify what was in them, according to SCDHEC’s inspection. SCDHEC also found a tile missing from the walk-in freezer floor, and the freezer had an ice build-up.
The report concluded that King Kong Sushi Bar & Grill is required to have a follow-up onsite inspection within 10 days but doesn’t require a 60-day routine inspection.
Paisano of Surfside
Location: 720 Highway 17 Business North, Surfside Beach
Score: 80 percent
Inspected Feb. 13, 2024, SCDHEC saw a live roach during the evaluation. SCDHEC also found food equipment had soiled surfaces. Ready-to-eat food was held for more than a day, a consecutive violation for Paisano, while pesticide sat on a food prep table, according to SCDHEC’s inspection. A refrigerator had a build-up, and the hand sink had a leaky pipe, too, according to the report.
The report concluded that Paisano of Surfside needs a follow-up, onsite inspection within 10 days. SCDHEC’s report concluded Paisano would be downgraded if they did not address the violations.
Jupiter Pies
Location: 9261 Highway 707 Unit B
Score: 81 percent
SCDHEC inspected Jupiter Pies Feb. 16, 2024, and found mold growing on food packages, a consecutive violation that was corrected during the inspection. Rodents and rodent droppings were found, and the report made note of several dirty or soiled pieces of equipment in the restaurant.
The report also found the kitchen floor needed re-finishing, among other violations. SCDHEC’s inspection concluded that Jupiter Pies is required to have an onsite, follow-up inspection within 10 days. The report added that a failure to address this would result in a downgrading.
Sol Y Luna
Location: 4270 River Oaks Drive Suite B, Myrtle Beach
Score: 82 percent
SCDHEC inspected Sol Y Luna Feb. 12, 2024, and found several violations. The hand sink didn’t have hand towels, which was corrected according to the report. The inspection also found food in the walk-in cooler without discard dates, which was corrected.
A bulk tortilla chip holder was cracked, which was not corrected according to the report.
SCDHEC also found that food was not in its original container, a pan of uncooked pork was sitting on a walk-in cooler floor, and soiled wiping cloths were placed on prep surfaces.
Sol Y Luna had a follow-up SCDHEC inspection Feb. 16, 2024, and scored 98 percent, addressing many of the previous violations.
