SLO County restaurant inspections: Infestation of cockroaches ‘at all life stages’ closes spot
A local Chinese restaurant was shut down by the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department for a week in August after an inspection revealed a massive cockroach infestation.
That was the most notable violation San Luis Obispo County health inspectors found in August during dozens of surprise visits to eating and drinking establishments.
Many food and beverage sellers passed with flying colors, while others needed to make serious improvements.
Golden Gong Restaurant, located at W. 1591 Grand Ave. in Grover Beach, was ordered to close between Aug. 15 and Aug. 21 after a health inspector observed “cockroaches at all life stages inside the kitchen, especially near the walk-in refrigeration units.”
“Facility must close and immediately address infestation,” the inspector wrote. “A licensed pest control company must be used to eliminate all live cockroaches. Facility must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized (all equipment, walls, floors, ceilings, shelving, etc) before approved to re-open.”
A follow-up inspection on Aug. 17 revealed that the number of cockroaches had “significantly decreased following pest control treatment,” though there were still some live roaches observed in the kitchen.
The facility was finally allowed to reopen on Aug. 21, according to inspection notes.
Every month, The Tribune prints the lowest- and highest-ranked eateries to give diners more information about the places where they buy food and drinks.
Inspectors visit restaurants, bars, coffee shops, grocery stores, mini-marts and more on a monthly basis. They score eateries on a 100-point scale and make deductions based on the severity of the violations they find.
To check out the safety and cleanliness of your favorite restaurants around the county, visit www.EatSafeSLO.org and use the interactive map to view full inspection reports.
Here are the highs and lows of the 141 inspections Environmental Health employees conducted in August.
Lowest-rated restaurants
Aliyah’s Kitchen, 575 S. Main St., Templeton
Points lost: 23
Notes: During its routine inspection in August, Aliyah’s Kitchen in Templeton lost points for a number of health safety violations. Those included an employee with a beverage in an area of the food facility that could contaminate items and an employee who was observed not washing their hands after preparing raw meats. The restaurant was ordered to ensure that employees are educated in proper food handling and sanitation practices and that they have food handler cards with copies on site. It also lost points for a blocked hand wash sink, a too-warm prep top unit and refrigerator and for using latex gloves.
Burritos Express, 1495 Creston Road, Paso Robles
Points lost: 15.5
Notes: During its August inspection, Burritos Express lost points for not storing hot foods correctly, at a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit or more. It also lost points for not using chlorine sanitizer to wipe food contact surfaces, allowing employees to store personal items in food storage locations and keeping open cardboard boxes of dried chilies and other spices. The restaurant was ordered to get tight-fitting lids to store dry goods to prevent cross-contamination. It was also told to clean and sanitize two door refrigeration units of food debris and grime and repair a broken paper towel dispenser in the toilet room.
Orcutt Burgers, 1771 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach
Points lost: 13
Notes: During its inspection in August, Orcutt Burgers lost points for a number of sanitation violations: Those included not having soap or paper towels available in the bathroom at the time of the inspection, no sanitizer buckets in the kitchen and wiping cloths being used repeatedly on food prep surfaces. The restaurant also lost points due to several flies observed in the kitchen, according to the inspection notes, as well as mildew on the ice chute of the soda machine and inside the large ice machine and an employee’s cell phone and earbuds being kept on the meat slicer and a prep table in the back room.
Rock & Roll Diner of Oceano, 1300 Railroad St., Oceano
Points lost: 11.5
Notes: Rock & Roll Diner of Oceano was one of a handful of local restaurants ordered to be re-inspected in August, after an inspector observed repeat violations. According to the inspection notes, the restaurant’s meat slicer once again had food debris and grime build up when the inspector stopped by. Workers were told to take apart and sanitize the piece equipment after each use or every four hours if used for long periods of time. The restaurant also had files in the prep wash room because a door was propped open. They were told to contact a licensed pest control service for treatment. The inspector also noted that a hand washing sink in the women’s restroom was falling away from the wall and needed to be fixed.
Burgers & More, 1262 Pacific Blvd.., Oceano
Points lost: 10.5
Notes: Though it did not have a lot of violations, Burgers & More was ordered to have a re-inspection in August because there was no hot water at a three-compartment sink — a repeat violation for the Oceano restaurant. The water had been turned off due to a leak, according to inspection notes. The restaurant was told to repair the sink and ensure hot water was available before its next inspection or potentially face a re-inspection fee. The restaurant also was told to clean the hood filters above the grill because of heavy grease accumulation and ensure paper towels were available at hand-washing sinks. On Aug. 30, the restaurant was re-inspected and all previous violations had been corrected, according to inspection notes.
These businesses also lost 10 or more points due to violations.
Las Bellasera Hotel and Suites, 206 Alexa Court, Paso Robles
Jamy’s Fine Foods, Inc., 1255 Las Tablas Road, Templeton
Los Robles Cafe, 1420 Spring St., Paso Robles
Nipomo Marketplace, 501 W. Tefft St., Nipomo
Highest-rated restaurants
These stores and restaurants received scores of 99 to 100, with few to no violations.
San Luis Obispo
Camp San Luis Obispo MOA No. E0107, Highway 1, Building 854
San Luis Transitional Care, 1575 Bishop St.
Sequel Tea, 3845 S. Higuera St. (change of ownership inspection)
Vons No. 2306, 3900 Broad St.
South County
7-Eleven Inc. Store No. 35287, 1800 E. Grand Ave., Grover Beach
Chevron No. 1972, 460 W. Tefft St., Nipomo
CVS Pharmacy No. 9892, 827 Oak Park Blvd., Pismo Beach
Humdinger Brewing, 116 W. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
Jack in the Box No. 399, 1208 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, 453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande
Lido Restaurant, 2731 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach
The Mayor’s Place, 181 W. Tefft St., Nipomo
North County
Byblos Mediterranean Restaurant, 518 Spring St., Paso Robles
Cahoots Catering Company, 1945 Estrella Circle, San Miguel
Carniceria La Barata, 3348 Spring St., Paso Robles
Changala Winery, 3770 Willow Creek Road, Paso Robles
Creston House and General Store, 6330 Webster Road, Creston
Dilecta Wines, 7970 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles
Dragon Palace Restaurant, 825 Spring St., Paso Robles
Eberle Winery Ltd., 3810 Highway 46, Paso Robles
Elkhorn Bar, 1263 Mission St., San Miguel
Evers Park Snack Bar, 38 Gibson Road, Templeton
Fish Gaucho, 1244 Park St., Paso Robles
General Store Paso Robles, 841 12th St., Paso Robles
Guisados To Go, 1740 Spring St., Paso Robles
Habeneros Mexican Restaurant, 555 12th St., Paso Robles
Hampton Inn & Suites, 212 Alexa Court, Paso Robles
Hickory Farms, LLC., 176 Niblick Road, Paso Robles
Negranti Creamery, 1211 Pine St., Paso Robles
Paso Catering, 3770 Willow Creek Road Paso Robles
Peachy Canyon Winery, 1480 Bethel Road, Templeton
Rava Wines LLC Event Center, 6785 Creston Road, Paso Robles
Riboli Family Winery, 2017 Wisteria Lane, Paso Robles
Serial Wines, 1226 Park St., Paso Robles
Spearhead Coffee, 619 12th St., Paso Robles
Sunrise Cafe, 1413 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles
Vic’s Cafe, 841 13th St., Paso Robles
