HOUSTON – Spatula, rolling pin, cellphone -- which one of these things does not belong in a restaurant kitchen?
Health inspectors admonished an employee of Thai Spice Buffet at 2520 South Voss for using his cellphone while preparing food. Inspectors said the employee was not using "good hygienic practices."
A recent study found the average cellphone is more germ infested than the handle of a toilet.
Inspectors warned employees of The Daily Review Cafe at 3412 West Lamar about crab cakes, salmon, chicken and steak all left out and off temperature.
It was the same problem at Pink's Pizza at 2726 Bissonnet, where employees had to toss 16 pounds of food that was too warm and potentially hazardous.
It's an on-going issue at Burns Old Fashioned Pit BBQ at 6314 Antoine, where inspectors made employees toss 195 pounds of food in 2011. They also shut the place down temporarily last August. On the health department's most recent visit, the sausage was 23 degrees warmer than the state health code allows, inspectors said.
At Champion Pizza at 6101 Glenmont, inspectors said they found roaches living inside the restaurant's butcher block knife holder. When KPRC Local 2 stopped in, the business was closed for painting. We could see inside the kitchen, but we didn't see that butcher block inspectors asked employees to throw away.
Two restaurants earn an A+ in this week's Restaurant Report Card for spotless inspections. Check out Pollo Bravo at 6015 Hillcroft and Pappas Bar-B-Q at 8777 South Main.
To see a complete list of restaurant violations in the Houston area, visit www.click2houston.com/restaurantinspections.How To File Restaurant ComplaintWe get our information from the city of Houston Health Department, but many of you have complaints about restaurants in other cities and counties.Refer to the following list to find out which agency to contact depending on the location of the restaurant:* For all complaints about restaurants located in the city of Houston, call 311 or file the complaint online.* Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services inspects and permits all retail food establishments in the unincorporated areas of Harris County as well as in the cities of Tomball, Katy, Jacinto City, Galena Park, La Porte, Morgan's Point, South Houston, Seabrook, El Lago, Southside Place, Hunter's Creek, Piney Point, Bunker Hill, Jersey Village, Spring Valley, Deer Park, Humble, Waller, and West University Place. If you believe you have become ill from ingesting food from an establishment in unincorporated Harris County or in a city inspected by Harris County, please file a complaint at http://www.hcphes.org/eph/foodcomplaint.ht or call them at 713-274-6300. If you are concerned about a food establishment's operations such as cleanliness, food handling procedures, etc., please file a complaint at http://www.hcphes.org/eph/complaints.htm.* To file a complaint about a restaurant in Montgomery County, call the Montgomery County Health Department at 936-539-7839.* To file a complaint about a restaurant Galveston County, call the Galveston County Health Department at 409-938-2300. Use this link to speed the process and file your complaint electronically, or send an email to mentringer@gchd.org.* To file a complaint about a restaurant in Brazoria County, contact the Brazoria County Health Department.* To file a complaint about a restaurant Fort Bend County, contact the Fort Bend County Health Department.* To file a complaint about a restaurant in Sugar Land use this link or contact the Senior Sanitarian at 281-275-2278 or email foodinspection@sugarlandtx.gov.If you have a news tip or question for KPRC Local 2 Investigates, drop them an e-mail or call their tipline at (713) 223-TIPS (8477). Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
