HOUSTON – It's a double fail for half of the restaurants in this week's Restaurant Report Card. That's because they're back for a repeat mention.
Last month, KPRC Local 2 reported that inspectors said they saw an employee putting new price labels on chicken that had already expired at the store on Ella. This time, inspectors said employees at the Foodarama at 11502 Wilcrest were putting "use by" dates on cooked chicken nuggets that were too far out.
Restaurants and stores are only allowed to sell or use prepared food up to seven days from the day it was opened. The inspector said the Foodarama was marking the chicken with a use by date some 14 days after it was opened.
A Foodarama spokesperson sent us a letter from the company that makes the chicken nuggets. It says the nuggets are acceptable for 14 days of shelf life once they're removed from the freezer and kept refrigerated. The health department says the city health code overrides the manufacturer's recommendations. Regardless, Foodarama says it will now keep all of the prepared chicken items frozen and sell them that way.
Inspectors asked employees at Yuan Ten at 9380 Bellaire to remove the dead, dying and injured fish from the fish tank storing live fish for consumption.
When KPRC Local 2 stepped inside the restaurant, the crew saw the tank immediately. It was cloudy and crowded. Employees on duty when the crew dropped in didn't speak English, but someone called the station back to say the inspector came in 20 minutes before the restaurant opened. Employees were late removing the dead and injured fish, but they said some fish do die or are already sick when the supplier brings them in.
Inspectors were back at La Baguette French Bakery at 6108 Wilcrest. Rodent droppings were found there in November, inspectors said. This visit, inspectors said they found more -- fresh and old rat poop.
Inspectors said they found a roach in the bulk container of sugar at the Ninfa's on Kirby back in October. This time, more roaches were found by a hand sink and a reach-in cooler that was out of service.
At the swanky Masraff's at 1753 Post Oak, inspectors said the crab meat was a warm 57 degrees. That's 16 degrees higher than allowed.
At La Plaza Mexican Restaurant at 1803 Bingle, inspectors said they saw an employee rinse a soiled beverage container over tripe thawing in the same sink. Tripe is the lining of a cow's stomach. Yes, some people eat that.
Earning A's this week for spotless inspections: Buffalo Wild Wings at 3651 Weslayan and The Corkscrew at 1308 West 20th.