A Greenville restaurant voluntarily closed in February after inspectors found numerous health violations, including live and dead roaches, black growth, food at improper temperature and too much trash on the floor where garbage cans are located.
Epic Buffet of East Bank on Grandview Drive in Simpsonville scored 59. Anything lower than 70 is to be closed.
The inspection report says the restaurant can reopen upon a satisfactory review.
Among the deficiencies were numerous employee closed drinks in the kitchen, personal belongings stored above food contact surfaces, employee foods stored intermingled in multiple cold holding units and employee medications stored in the kitchen.
A food handler did not take off gloves to wash hands.
Multiple cutting boards were soiled with food debris and were in disrepair. The ice machine had black microbial growth.
The sushi station temperature was too low as was the case that held honey baked ham, chicken nuggets, popcorn shrimp and fried fish. The food was thrown out and the violation cited as consecutive.
A cold holding and Hibatchi area had noodles, garlic in oil, chicken, egg roll at improper temperatures.
Multiple buckets of food contained sauces and beef stew in the walk-in cooler without dates. Chicken was thawing on a countertop. Containers of various sauces and marinades were stored on floors and in the walk-in cooler. Cardboard boxes of food stored on the floor in the freezer.
Chemicals and cleaners were not labeled with their common names, a screen door had large gaps.
Roaches were seen on the floor of food prep areas and dead roaches were on floors, shelving and light fixtures throughout the kitchen.
Wet wiping cloths were not stored in sanitizer throughout the kitchen, and utensils were in too-cool standing water.
A chest freezer in a walk-in freezer was in severe disrepair and held together with duct tape.
Sewage and wastewater was improperly disposed of, oil/grease was on ground outside of an oil recycling container, Dumpster lids did not function properly.
A large drill used for outdoor repairs was inside the food prep area.
The soda room had heavily soiled syrup residue and the ceiling air vents throughout the kitchen customer was soiled with dust and debris as were ventilation hoods and floors in the main cook line.
Other Greenville County restaurants inspected in February included:
Miyabi Japanese Steakhouse on Congaree Road in Greenville scored 70.
Among the concerns were no vomit/diarrhea clean up procedure and a food handler touched raw meat, dish machine and raw meat without changing gloves.
A pitcher was submerged in ready-to-eat sauce, with a soiled paper towel wrapped around the handle. The sushi kitchen did not have shell stock tags for shucked oysters and raw shelled eggs over ready-to-eat sauces.
Cutlery and dishes, rice cooker and soup dispenser stored as clean had food debris and microbial growth, debris, and rust in the ice machine.
Raid pest spray was in the kitchen / sushi area, and multiple live and dead roaches throughout the facility with dead roaches inside microwave time display.
Grease was pooled on floors and by the receiving door.
Tiles were in disrepair under a high-temperature dish machine and a large hole was seen under a three-compartment sink where plumbing exits the wall.
Walls/ceilings throughout the kitchen were soiled with grease and dust, floors sticky and the sides of the ice machine were dirty.
There were also multiple bottles of employee medications in the sushi area.
Ingles #74 Deli Bakery on White Horse Road in Greenville scored 73 based on incorrect employee handwashing, cleaning of pans and meat slicer, and deli sandwich bar at too-low temperatures that included fried chicken and rotisserie chicken.
Date markings were not indicated on various foods. A can of pesticide was in the bakery.
A large piece of broken glass was in the cold display case and excessive ice build up was on the floor and ceiling in a walk-in freezer.
Organic buildup was seen on floors and surrounding each walk-in freezer.
OJ’S Diner on Pendleton Street in Greenville scored 72.
It was cited for employee drinks being stored on food contact surfaces during food prep, an employee eating when coming into the kitchen and not washing hands before touching dishes and no paper towels.
Large cans were dented and food was stored at improper temperature. The inspector called it a “danger zone.”
Dates were not marked properly and a large container of cooked pasta measuring was cooling at ambient temperature. Rodent droppings were scattered across dry storage, on shelving and paper goods. A wooden pallet in a walk-in cooler stored eggs.
The dish machine had food debris, and shelving in a walk-in cooler was heavily soiled with dust and debris. Also, painted walls in the main cook line were distressed and not smooth/easily cleanable.
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