Restaurant Report Card for Sept. 20: Roaches, sewage & slime

HOUSTON – Shopping can really work up your appetite, but when you see what health inspectors found at restaurants inside two area malls, you might not be so hungry.

Inside the Galleria at Master Wok, inspectors said they found roaches on a wall above a sink, black drink scum on the nozzles of the drink dispenser and no hot water.

At Cocina Los Jarritos inside Northwest Mall, inspectors noted live roach activity on the walls and ceiling.

It's not the food that has inspectors cluckin' at the Church's Chicken at 11724 Bellaire. It was the smell. Inspectors said they saw sewage overflowing in the kitchen and behind the building. Church's maintenance worker David Deaton said there was a clog in a plumbing line.

"How long were you working like that before the health inspector had to come in and notice it?" KPRC Local 2 consumer investigator Amy Davis asked Deaton.

"Oh, I don't know about that," he replied. "They unstopped it last week and then it got stopped back up either yesterday or the day before."

Deaton said the liquid waste was never in the kitchen. For the record, health inspectors disagree.

At Barnaby's Cafe in Montrose at 604 Fairview, inspectors said they found a pound of bacon at room temperature that was also two days past expiration.

Back on Bellaire at Pho Saigon Vietnamese Noodle House, inspectors said there were heavy rat droppings in the food preparation and storage areas.

Inspectors said there were maggots in the bags of rice at Stephen Food Store in the 14000 block of Hillcroft. Inspectors tossed 12 pounds of it.

In Kingwood, at Chachi's Mexican Restaurant inside Town Center Park, inspectors said they saw black slime on the soda fountain nozzles.

And this is a first for the Restaurant Report Card: The clear and tan slime at the Subway at 3804 Little York was "hanging" in the chute of the ice machine, inspectors said.

If you're hungry and in a hurry, we have two restaurants for you to try this week. Domino's Pizza at 1425 West Gray and the Sonic Drive-In at 330 North Park in Kingwood both earned A's for spotless inspections.


About the Author:

Passionate consumer advocate, mom of 3, addicted to coffee, hairspray and pastries.