Roaches, rotten food in group home kitchen: Cenla restaurants with most health violations
The Town Talk obtained food safety inspection information for June 2022 from the Louisiana Department of Health.
Uncorrected critical violations are more likely to contribute to food contamination or make someone sick, according to the Health Department. Less-serious violations are not directly related to food-borne illness but could become hazardous if they aren't fixed.
The top seven restaurants with the most critical violations are listed, along with an explanation of the findings. Each place listed had at least five critical violations.
Complete inspection information for the month is included in a searchable database at the end of this story.
What did inspectors find across Cenla?
In total, there were about 716 violations in the region, and approximately 26% of those were critical.
About 163 violations were repeated by the same businesses despite being flagged at earlier inspections.
At least 315 problems were corrected while the inspector was on site, and many were eliminated by a later inspection.
By parish, violations were:
Avoyelles: 57 addresses inspected — 93 total violations — 16 critical
Grant: 9 — 20 — 5
Rapides: 218 — 603 — 166
Most of the critical violations across the region were for:
Cross contamination – food to food: 29
Food – date marking: 23
Toxic storage: 21
Personnel - personal cleanliness, hygienic practices: 18
Food contact equipment and utensils cleaned: 18
No violations were found at 109 of the 284 addresses inspected. About 192 addresses had no critical violations.
Check eatsafe.la.gov for the most recent inspection information available and information on how to file a complaint.
See the Top 7
The following information about critical violations is listed by address. Some permit holders might have multiple locations. Check the database for additional information on food safety inspections.
7. Food Town Plus Meat Market, 2512 Third St., Alexandria (17 total violations, 5 critical violations)
June 14: 16 violations, 4 critical
Raw animal foods with different cooking temperature requirements were not separated to prevent cross contamination during storage, preparation or display.
Insects were present in the establishment.
Employee was drinking in a food preparation or other area where food equipment, utensils or other items requiring protection were stored.
Raw animal food was not separated from ready-to-eat food or was placed, stored or displayed above ready-to-eat food.
June 23: 1 critical violation
Repeated violation, corrected on site: Raw animal foods with different cooking temperature requirements were not separated to prevent cross contamination during storage, preparation or display.
6. El Reparo Mexican Grill (2 permits), 550 MacArthur Drive, Alexandria (26 total violations, 5 critical violations)
Restaurant: 25 violations, 5 critical
June 22: 25 violations, 5 critical
Flies were present in the establishment.
Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on premises and held for more than 24 hours was not date marked.
Written procedures were not maintained in a food establishment using time only, as a public health control. (lemons)
Using time only as a public health control, food was not marked or otherwise identified with the time within which it would be cooked, served or discarded. (lemons)
Food contact surfaces and utensils were not clean to sight and touch. Dishes were not clean.
June 24: No violations found
Bar: 1 non-critical violation found June 24
5. Subway Restaurant, 2154 N. Mall Drive, Alexandria (11 total violations, 6 critical violations)
June 15: 8 violations, 5 critical
Corrected on site: Spigots were not clean to sight and touch.
Corrected on site: Employee was drinking in a food preparation or other area where food equipment, utensils or other items requiring protection were stored.
Corrected on site: Employee was eating in a food preparation or other area where food, utensils or other items requiring protection were stored.
A current state food safety certificate was not held by the owner or a designated employee of the establishment.
Insects were present in the establishment.
June 29: 3 violations, 1 critical
Repeat: A current state food-safety certificate was not held by the owner or a designated employee of the establishment.
4. Nanny's Restaurant, 333 Tunica Drive W., Marksville (13 total violations, 6 critical violations)
June 22: 10 violations, 5 critical
Repeat: Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on premises and held for more than 24 hours was not date-marked.
Repeated violation, corrected on site: Chemicals were stored with or above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single-use articles.
Using time only as a public health control, food was not marked or otherwise identified with the time within which it would be cooked, served or discarded.
Food contact surfaces and utensils were not clean to sight and touch.
Raw animal food was not separated from ready-to-eat food, or was placed, stored or displayed above ready-to-eat food.
June 27: 3 violations, 1 critical
Repeated violation, corrected on site: Raw animal food was not separated from ready-to-eat food, or was placed, stored or displayed above ready-to-eat food.
3. Panda Restaurant, 2401 S. MacArthur Drive, Alexandria (18 total violations, 7 critical violations)
June 20: 15 violations, 6 critical
Using time only as a public health control, food was not marked or otherwise identified with the time within which it would be cooked, served or discarded.
Chlorine sanitizer concentration for dishwashing was not between 50-100 parts per million at 75 degrees.
Quaternary ammonium solution concentration for dishwashing was not 200 p.p.m. at 75 degrees.
Employee was drinking in a food-preparation or other area where food equipment, utensils or other items requiring protection were stored.
Chemicals were stored with or above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single-use articles.
Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on premises and held for more than 24 hours was not date-marked.
June 22: 3 violations, 1 critical
Repeated violation, corrected on site: Chlorine sanitizer concentration for dishwashing was not between 50-100 p.p.m. at 75 degrees. Auto-chlor repaired at time of inspection.
2. Garfield Community Home Kitchen, 1263 Enterprise Road, Alexandria (17 total violations, 9 critical violations)
June 14: 7 violations, 4 critical
Corrected on site: Food consisted in whole or in part of a filthy, putrid or decomposed substance. Potatoes were voluntarily discarded.
Repeat: Raw animal foods in the freezer with different cooking temperature requirements were not separated to prevent cross contamination.
Flies were present in the establishment.
Roaches were present in the establishment.
June 16: 8 violations, 4 critical
Repeat: Flies were present in the establishment.
Repeat: Food consisted in whole or in part of a filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance. Rotten food inside refrigerator was producing a strong, foul smell.
Repeat: Roaches were present in the establishment Roaches were harboring in dirty rags inside the island cabinet.
Food stored for cold-holding and service was not held at a temperature of 41°F or below in the kitchen refrigerator.
June 21: 2 violations, 1 critical
Repeated violation, corrected on site: Food stored for cold-holding and service was not held at a temperature of 41°F or below. Refrigerator door was not closed properly.
1. China Queen Restaurant, 2981 Cottingham Expressway, Pineville (18 total violations, 9 critical violations)
June 23: 18 violations, 9 critical
All corrected on site:
Using time only as a public health control, food was not marked or otherwise identified with the time within which it would be cooked, served or discarded.
Equipment or utensil with which food was prepared, held or served was not cleaned, rinsed and sanitized prior to use.
Equipment or utensils were not constructed of approved materials.
Medicines or first-aid supplies were stored with or above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single-use articles.
Employee was drinking in a food-preparation or other area where food equipment, utensils or other items requiring protection were stored.
Chemicals were stored with or above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single-use articles.
Ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on premises and held for more than 24 hours was not date-marked.
Raw animal food was not separated from ready-to-eat food or was placed, stored or displayed above ready-to-eat food.
Food stored for cold-holding and service was not held at a temperature of 41 degrees or below. A cooler was 53 degrees, and all out-of-temperature food was voluntarily discarded and destroyed by owner.
See a database of June inspections
If the search box is missing, please refresh your web browser by hitting F5. The database search might not work on all mobile apps or web browsers.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Rotten food in group home kitchen top Cenla restaurant inspections
