The most recent restaurant inspections by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture found moldy food with a “very strong odor,” pink slimy mildew in the ice machine, live roaches and more.
In general, SCDA gives restaurants scoring between 88 and 100 points A grades, restaurants scoring 78-87 points B grades and restaurants scoring 77 points or fewer C grades.
However, the department sometimes lowers grades for restaurants that have consecutive violations, are under enforcement action or are under pending enforcement actions, including imminent health hazards, permit suspensions or permit revocations.
Of the 196 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between April 24 and May, SCDA gave seven restaurants B grades and two restaurants C grades. However, only four of those establishments actually scored below 88 points. Here’s what inspectors found.
Ciao Italian Restaurant
5223 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
Score: 70
A routine inspection of Ciao Italian Restaurant on April 24 found several violations, including fruit or drain flies around the kitchen cooler, condensation dripping into a pan of cheese, employees washing their hands with gloves on and shellfish tags out of chronological order.
The inspection report also notes no certified food handler was present, foods like meats and cheeses were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, foods like lasagna and chicken were stored without date marks for safe consumption and foods like chicken stock were improperly cooled.
There was also a hole around a light fixture in the ceiling above the prep area, unapproved twine that can’t be adequately cleaned wrapped around a spatula handle and a hole in the back door, which the SCDA considers a risk for rodents and insects.
However, at a follow-up inspection on April 29, the restaurant scored a perfect 100 points.
El Paso Quick Stop
4580 Highway 501 W., Conway, SC 29526
Score: 79
At a May 1 inspection of El Paso Quick Stop, there were baby roaches above the steam table, an adult roach on the mop sink and cans of roach spray labeled for residential use. Other violations included ice for drinks stored in a cooler with no drain, foods like raw meats and soups stored at insufficiently cold temperatures and a carton of half-and-half stored on a drink counter without temperature control.
The inspector observed brooms and mops stored on the ground outside, employees not rinsing between washing and sanitizing dishes, single-use containers stored under a soap dispenser, to-go boxes stored not inverted and new equipment installed without approval.
There were also accumulations of food, debris, grease and grime around the kitchen in the prep cooler, in the freezer, on the sides of the flat-top grill, on the walls and on the floors. A subsequent inspection is to be performed on or before May 10.
Peachtree Grocery
7981 Highway 544, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
Score: 82
At a routine inspection of Peachtree Grocery on May 6, ready-to-eat foods had no dates marked for safe consumption, foods like chili and hot dogs were held at insufficiently hot temperatures and eggs were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures.
Other violations included Chlorox spray bottles and bug spray stored with sugar and salt, personal items stored on a prep table, no paper towels at the employee sink and no sanitizer test kits for the dish washer. According to the inspector’s notes, consecutive priority violations may be referred for enforcement. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted by May 16.
Lowcountry Landing Bistro
5800 Highway 90, Conway, SC 29526
Score: 84
An April 30 routine inspection of Lowcountry Landing Bistro at Sun Outdoors Myrtle Beach found moldy black beans with a “very strong odor,” pink slime mildew in the ice machine, insufficient sanitizer in the dish machine and frozen fish thawing in vacuum-sealed packaging, which is a risk for botulism.
The inspection report also notes the person in charge wasn’t a certified food handler, cups without handles used to scoop food, food in cracked and broken containers, mislabeled and unlabeled food, build-up around the floor drain and the ice machine drain blocked by dishes and debris.
A follow-up inspection is to be performed on or before May 10.
MS
The Sun News
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Maria Elena Scott writes about trending topics and what you need to know in the Grand Strand. She studied journalism at the University of Houston and covered Cleveland news before coming to the Palmetto State.