HOUSTON – When you think of popular Mexican food restaurants in Houston, which places come to mind? Before you put in your next margarita and fajita order, check out this week's Restaurant Report Card.
The margaritas are cold and the tortillas are made from scratch at Doneraki Mexican Restaurant at 7705 Westheimer. But, here's something they aren't bragging about -- live roaches under the grill and a dark residue and mold in the ice machine of the bar area. Health inspectors made the discoveries on their latest visit.
KPRC Local 2 consumer investigator Amy Davis asked to speak with a manager when she dropped by the place with a camera rolling. But there wasn't one available to show her around. Instead of a tour, she got a card with a number to the corporate office. A spokeswoman told her staff had exterminated the day before the health inspector came by and that brought out the roaches. She said they're now gone.
There were more roaches at Randall's at 11041 Westheimer. Inspectors saw them crawling around the dish washing area. The roaches were dead in a trap at Red Pepper Chinese Restaurant at 5626 Westheimer; but inspectors asked employees to remove them from the kitchen.
And there really was "Just Juice" at the place by the same name at 428 West Greens Road. Inspectors closed the place temporarily for having no hot water.
If you're a blues fan, this may have you singing them -- black slime in the ice machine at the House of Blues downtown. There was a pink slimy residue in the ice at Buffalo Wild Wings at 3651 Weslayan. Inspectors asked employees at Sorrel Urban Bistro at 2202 West Alabama to discard all of the ice and clean out the ice machine.
Health inspectors had an easy time inspecting Jimmy John's at 820 Main Street and Long John Silver's at 2009 Mangum. There were no violations at either restaurant, earning them both A's in this week's Restaurant Report Card.
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.