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Aug 07, 2023

Behind the Kitchen Door: Health Department shuts down Chinese restaurant for ‘gross and insanitary conditions’

Tim Gerber, Reporter/Anchor Dale L. Keller, Photojournalist Ken Huizar, Photojournalist SAN ANTONIO – Health inspectors recently ordered a Chinese restaurant to close due to unsanitary conditions

Tim Gerber, Reporter/Anchor

Dale L. Keller, Photojournalist

Ken Huizar, Photojournalist

SAN ANTONIO – Health inspectors recently ordered a Chinese restaurant to close due to unsanitary conditions after failing a May health inspection. Meanwhile, a local coffee shop was also shut down because of a roach infestation, and a taco business had to close due to no hot water.

KSAT Investigates reporter Tim Gerber checked up on the businesses to see if they had made the required corrections to reopen.

Beijing Express, located in the 2900 block of Nogalitos, got a failing score of 60 and was shut down by the health inspector due to “gross and (unsanitary) conditions.”

According to the inspection report, tongs used in the kitchen were found hanging from a trash can. When the inspector asked for them to be washed, a worker placed the tongs on the food prep table for continued use without washing. The tongs were then removed from service and washed. Other cooking utensils were also found stuffed in crevices with heavy grease buildup.

Employees were not properly washing their hands, and some were seen touching food with their bare hands.

Several food items stored in coolers were well above the required 41 degrees. Other foods were found left sitting out at room temperature.

An unspecified fluid leaked from the vent in a cooler and dripped into large tubs stored on top of food.

The inspector noted the entire establishment needed a thorough deep cleaning.

This week, Gerber found the business was still closed. A sign on the door stated it was undergoing a remodel. A construction worker on site said the owner plans to reopen when repairs are complete.

Jim’s Coffee Shop, located in the 4100 block of Broadway, earned a 77 and got shut down on June 16 due to a roach infestation.

According to the inspection report, several live crawling insects were observed during the inspection, and there were plenty of dead roaches too.

They had to toss out vegetables that were too warm.

A worker was seen handling their phone and touching ready-to-eat food without changing gloves or washing hands, while another worker touched food with bare hands.

The business’ license was suspended until they did a thorough cleaning and hired pest control services.

This week, manager Donovan Setterlund immediately said they were closed for about 24 hours to do a deep cleaning and get the pest control started.

“It’s an ongoing deal. We’ve worked with our cleaning processes here. We’ve worked with the people at pest control, and we’re good,” Setterlund said. “They came back the day after that, and we did a deep clean and got everything back up and running again.”

Roy’s Pronto Taco Hut in the 200 block of Old Highway 90 West was packed with cars this week following a temporary shutdown last month.

The business was forced to close until it could repair its hot water. Even without hot water, employees were still washing dishes.

In addition to that critical violation, the inspector found food that was temping too warm in the cooler.

Employees were also seen wiping with towels hanging from their waists instead of being stored in a sanitizing solution.

Their license was restored when the hot water was fixed.

The inspector gave them a score of 84.

Score Guide

100-90 = A (Very Good to Acceptable)

89-80 = B (Acceptable to Marginal)

79 or lower = C (Marginal to Poor)

*Metro Health indicates that scores of 69 or lower are failing scores

First Watch Restaurant, 100

830 NW Loop 410

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Panda Express, 100

834 NW Loop 410

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Dutch Bros. Coffee, 100

2633 Nacogdoches Rd

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Firefly Sushi, 100

1310 Mc Cullough Ave

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Shake Shack, 100

3003 Broadway

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Domino’s Pizza, 99

1803 Vance Jackson

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Press Coffee, 98

4035 Broadway

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Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant, 97

3202 Commercial Ave

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The Growler Exchange, 96

4130 Broadway

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Wok Inn, 95

10919 Culebra Rd

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Bill Miller BBQ, 94

5250 De Zavala Rd

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Carlito’s Taco House, 93

11319 West Ave

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La Sorpresa Cafe, 92

3213 Pleasanton Rd

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Las Palapas, 91

2866 Thousand Oaks

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McDonald’s, 91

926 Bandera Rd

Want to know who has good scores and who doesn’t? KSAT 12 has a new tool for that.

Just click this link, and it will take you to a new mapping tool we have showing the recent scores for San Antonio food businesses.

The reports go back six months and are frequently updated.

You can catch Tim’s BKD reports Thursdays on the Nightbeat.

Watch other Behind the Kitchen Door stories here

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