Roaches, rat droppings & more in latest worst Myrtle Beach, SC area restaurant inspections
The latest restaurant inspections by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture found roaches, rodent droppings, unsafe food temperatures and more. Since the Department of Health and Environmental Control was eliminated, the SCDA has taken over regular health and safety inspections of retail food establishments in the state.
In general, SCDA gives restaurants scoring between 88 and 100 points A grades, restaurants scoring 78-87 points B grades and restaurants scoring 77 points or fewer C grades. However, the department sometimes lowers grades for restaurants that have consecutive violations, are under enforcement action or are under pending enforcement actions, including imminent health hazards, permit suspensions or permit revocations.
Of the 358 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1, SCDA gave eight restaurants C grades and eight B grades. However, only five restaurants actually scored below 88 points. Here's what inspectors found.
Copacabana Brazilian Restaurant
Score: 70
At a routine inspection of Copacabana Brazilian Restaurant Oct. 17 there were "many live and dead roaches" on food contact surfaces, walls, floors, ceilings, food preparation areas and the buffet area.
The inspection also observed "many rodent droppings" inside of the restaurant's cabinets, insect droppings on the kitchen floors and walls, food equipment stored with old food and possible insect droppings and foods stored uncovered near live insects.
Other violations included foods in the refrigerator past their discard dates, foods like beef that "appeared possibly spoiled,"raw meat stored over ready-to-eat foods, meats at the buffet held at temperatures that weren't hot enough, foods like fruit and eggs held at temperatures that weren't cold enough.
Cleanliness also appeared to be a problem in the inspection, which notes that most kitchen equipment had grease build up and old food ps and the hood filters were "very dirty and have so much grease they do not appear to be working as needed."
However, at a follow-up inspection conducted on Oct. 24, Copacabana Brazilian Restaurant scored a perfect 100. "Owner has made many improvements, and we discussed future plans for more/continuing improvements," the follow-up inspection report says.
Spring Garden Pancake House
Score: 73
An Oct. 28 inspection of Spring Garden Pancake House found several violations, including foods like sausages and hash browns held at temperatures that were too cool, foods like meats and butter stored at temperatures that weren't cool enough and ready-to-eat foods that were held for more than a day without having the dates marked for safety.
The inspection also noted that a dirty utensil was stored as though it was clean, the refrigerator wasn't cold enough, fans in the refrigerator were dirty and the sanitizer used had levels of chlorine that were too high. A follow-up inspection was scheduled for Nov. 7.
Jimmyz Original Hibachi House
Score: 75
A routine inspection of Jimmyz Original Hibachi House had several violations including boxes of food stored on the floor of a walk-in freezer, single-use stored on the floor, "heavily dusted" vents, ceilings and walls in the kitchen, "soiled" kitchen shelves and grease build up on the exterior of cookline equipment.
The inspection also found that cooked rice and steak were held at unsafe temperatures, fish was improperly thawed, noodles weren't properly cooled and there wasn't soap at the hand sink. A follow-up inspection was scheduled for Nov. 7.
Backstreet Cafe
Score: 79
At a routine inspection of Backstreet Cafe on Oct. 30, inspectors found raw beef on containers of ready-to-eat food, ready-to-eat foods like deli meats and hot dogs without dates marked held for more than 24 hours, improperly thawed fish and standing water in the food prep cooler.
The report also notes that the interior and scoops of bulk food containers had build up of grime and old food, the interior of the microwave had build up of food splash and the walls, floors and shelves had an accumulation of grease and grime.
Comments on the report required a follow-up inspection of the restaurant on or before Nov. 8 where the violations needed to be corrected to avoid further downgrading, though no report for a follow-up is publicly available yet.
Loris Mini Mart
Score: 85
An Oct. 30 routine inspection of Loris Mini Mart found several violations, including ready-to-eat foods like chili, hot dogs and pizza held at insufficiently high temperatures, ready-to-eat foods like chicken wings and sausage without a date marked to ensure safe consumption and structural issues like loose baseboards and a gap under the door.
As with Backstreet Cafe, comments on the report required a follow-up inspection of the restaurant on or before Nov. 8 where the violations needed to be corrected to avoid further downgrading, but no report for a follow-up is publicly available yet.
