Orange County Health Inspector James Scales made 48 food inspections in December and found mold in ice machines at several stores. Most of the scores were in the 90s and high 80s.
The lowest score was a 75 to LCM Mart, 8270 North Highway 87. The store had raw sausage, fried chicken and white gravy not at proper safe temperatures. Another demerit was for a customer going behind the deli counter, grabbing cooked bacon, and leaving the store. Mold was also in the ice machine and a cleaned cappuccino machine.
Perfect scores of 100 went to the Garden District on Highway 87 North in Little Cypress, Mission Grounds Coffee Shop at First Pentecostal Church in Vidor, Snappy Exxpress Mart on Texas Avenue in Bridge City, and Red Apron Kitchen on White Oak Road in Mauriceville.
Scales went to four church soup kitchens in Orange and did not score them, but reported finding no violations. The soup kitchens were at Mount Sinai Baptist Church, 1113 North Second Street; First Presbyterian Church, 902 Green Avenue; St. Mary Catholic Church, 912 West Cherry Avenue, and Mount Olive Baptist Church, 106 West Park Avenue.
He also made pre-opening inspections for Ricky’s, 2675 Texas Avenue in Bridge City; Dough Dough Girls mobile unit in Orangefield, and LaPalma, a food truck that will set up on 16th Street.
Scores and demerits were:
LCM Mart, 8270 North Highway 87 in Orange: 75. Inspector found raw sausage, fried cheicken and white gravy out of proper temperatures. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Foods needed to be covered. Mold was inside the ice machine and a cleaned cappuccino machine. Floors, storage shelves, air vents needed to be cleaned. A customer was behind the deli counter and grabbed cooked bacon. Store had no certified food manager on staff. Soap was needed at the hand-washing station. Ceiling tiles were molded. The door to th reach-in freezer was duct-taped together and needed to be replaced. Trash and old equipment needed to be thrown away.
Star Stop No. 3, 1402 16th Street in Orange: 86. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Ice scoop was on top of cardboard boxes. Drink machines needed to be cleaned of mold and old foods. Employee restroom did not have hot water or soap. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Drinks were stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler. Current health inspection report was not posted.
Church’s Chicken, 1322 16th Street in Orange: 87. Foods inside reach-in freezer needed to be covered. No sanitizer was inside restaurant. Manager left and bought some. Door to the walk-in cooler was not closing completely. Inspector found mice feces. Employee drinks found without a lid and straw. Area around fryers needed to be cleaned of old grease. Floor tiles were damaged. Current food service permit, certified food manager certificates and current health inspection report were not posted.
Donut Palace, 190 West Freeway in Vidor: 87. Inspector found sausage, eggs, and boudin out of proper safe temperatures. No record of time was kept on how long sausage, eggs, and boudin were kept at room temperature. Products inside coolers and freezers needed to be covered and dated. Inspector found spider webs and sticky fly traps throughout the store. Walls needed to be cleaned of old foods.
Rikenjacks, 18635 Interstate 10 in Vidor: 87. Inspector found cooked hamburger patties out of proper temperatures. Foods inside coolers and freezers needed to be covered and dated. A container of cooked rice was at the three-compartment sink. Hair restraints were needed. Vent-a-Hood and walls needed to be cleaned of old foods and dust. Ceiling tiles were damaged.
Donut Nation, 18394 Highway 62 South in Orange: 88. Sausage and eggs were not at proper temperatures. Records not kept of time for holding sausage and eggs at room temperatures. Foods inside reach-in cooler and freezers needed to be covered. Spider webs were throughout store. Sleeping cot was in a back storage room. Same pan liner was used multiple times to bake kolaches.
Novrozsky’s Restaurant, 501 North 16th Street in Orange: 88. Inspector found molded vegetables inside walk-in cooler. Foods inside walk-in cooler needed to be covered. Mice feces were found in back storage area. Vent-a-Hood, area around fryers and grill, outside of equipment, storage shelves, floors, walls, ceilings and air vents needed to be cleaned of old foods and grease. Faucet at Three-compartment sink was dipping at the base. Inspector said lots of cleaning and organizing was needed.
Rock’s Spot Barbecue, 2530 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 88. No sanitizer was found on site. Dates wer needed on products inside cooler and freezers. Paper towels and soap were needed at the hand-washing station. Two dogs were inside the kitchen. Miches feces were throughout. Hair restraints were needed. Inside of reach-in coolers, floors, and wlls needed to be cleaned. Hand-washing signs needed to be posted. Certified food manager certificate was not posted.
The Country Store, 6373 FM 1442 in Orangefield: 89. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Employee restroom did not have hot water. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Dates were needed on products, including sandwiches, inside walk-in cooler. Light shields were needed in side walk-in cooler. Drinks were stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler.
Star Stop No. 4, 1415 16th Street in Orange: 89. Inspector pulled milk that expired in July 2018 from walk-in cooler. Ice scoop was on top of grocery cart. Hot water did not reach 118 degrees, as required, a three-compartment sink. Drinks were stored on the floor inside the walk-in cooler. Walk-in cooler needed to be cleaned of old trash. Ceiling tiles were damaged. Current health inspection was not posted.
Tico’s Cuban Cafe, 1145 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 90. Mold was inside the ice machine. Dates were needed on products inside coolers. Restaurant did not have a three-compartment sink Meat was improperly defrosting inside a bucket of water. Vents at Vent-a-Hood, area around fryers and grill, plus walls needed to be cleaned of old foods and grease.
Martha’s No. 2, 1609 16th Street in Orange: 90. Raw meats were stored improperly inside reach-in freezer. Mat was removed from the package and stored on top of other bags of food (meat was discarded). Faucet at three-compartment sink was dripping from base. Dates needed on products inside coolers and freezers. Employee drinks were stored improperly on top of the storage shelves. Broken equipment in back storage room needed to be discarded.
IB Cheapers, 11346 Highway 12 in Mauriceville: 90. Inspector pulled several expired foods from shelves. Mold was inside ice machine. Ice scoop was on top of crate. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Drinks were stored on floor inside walk-in cooler. Current health inspection report not posted.
Mike’s Diner, 7360 Highway 87 North in Little Cypress: 92. Plumbing under the three-compartment sinck was dripping water into a container. Dates were needed on products. Several flies were throughout restaurant. Hair restraints needed. Old Coke bottles and equipment need to be discarded from outside the back door. Screens needed for windows and doors that stay open during operating hours.
Sonic Drive-In, 1265 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 93, Foods inside reach-in cooler and freezer needed to be covered. Fry scoop was damaged. Floors at walk-in cooler and freezer were damaged. Employee drinks improperly stored on back storage shelf. Storage shelves and vents at Vent-a-Hood needed to be cleaned of old grease.
Danny’s Super Foods, 2003 Western Avenue in West Orange: 93. Store name and address were needed on bags of ice being sold. Thermometer needed inside cooler. Several gnats were on raw onions. Ceiling tiles were damaged. Current food service permit and current health inspection were not posted.
Danny’s Super Foods Deli, 2003 Western Avenue in West Orange: 94. Mold and slime were inside ice machine. Vents at Vent-a-Hood and outside of equipment, plus floors and walls needed to be cleaned of old foods and grease. Signs needed at hand-washing station. Current health inspection report and certified food manager certificates were not posted.
Dollar General, 320 South Main Street in Vidor: 94. Inspector pulled several dented cans and expired foods from shelves. Spider webs were throughout store. Shelves inside milk cooler needed to be cleaned of old foods. Ceiling tiles were damaged.
Sonic Drive-In, 11786 Highway 62 North in Mauriceville: 94. Foods inside reach-in coolers and freezers needed to be covered. Vent-a-Hood area and floors, especially under and behind equipment, needed to be cleaned of old foods and grrease. Storage shelves were rusted inside reach-in collers and freezers. Floor grout was missing. Air vents were rusted. Co2 tanks needed to be secured.
Lone Star Grocery, 3665 North Main Street in Vidor: 94. Store did not have hot water inside. Employee restroom did not have paper towels. Employee foods stored improperly inside walk-in cooler. Floor tiles and ceiling tiles were damaged. Back storage room needed to be organized and cleaned. Back storage room door needed to be sealed.
Sonic Drive-In, 340 North Main Street in Vidor: 95. Foods inside cooler and freezer needed to be covered. Outside of equipment, Vent-a-Hood area, floors and walls needed to be cleaned of old foods and grease.
Wright’s Barbecue and Catering, 1096 North Main Street in Vidor: 95. Dates needed on products inside walk-in cooler. Foods were stored on the floor inside walk-in cooler. Outside of equipment, storage shelves, and walls needed to be cleaned of old foods.
Nolan Food Store, 20390 Interstate 10 West in Vidor: 96. Dates needed on products inside reach-in freezer. Several dead roaches were in back storage room. Drinks stored on the floor inside walk-in cooler.
Mutt and Jeff’s, 110 A South Main Street in Vidor: 96. Gaskets on reach-in cooler were damaged. Employee drinks were stored improperly inside reach-in cooler. Floors inside walk-in cooler and under equipment needed to be cleaned of old foods.
Brick and Barley, 2614 Lutcher Drive inOrange: 97. Dates needed on products inside reach-in freezer. Cureent health inspection report and current food service permit not posted.
Dairy Queen, 1780 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 97. Lots of grease was dripping onto storage shelves, walls and floors from the flat-top grill. Grill needed to be repairs. Storage shelves and inside reach-in cooler and freezers needed to be cleaned of old foods.
Fastlane No. 4, 2598 North Main Street in Vidor: 97. Ice scoop was on top of cardboard box.
Sweet Bee Boutique, 2637 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 98. Hot water needed to be 10 degrees warmer. Fixed immediately.
Subway, 1545 North Main Street in Vidor: 98. Food handler certificates wer needed. One employee had an expired certificate and one did not have a certificate.
Peggy’s Place, 2682 East Roundbunch Road in Orange: 98. Storage shelves area around fryers, plus floors under and around fixed equipment needed to be cleaned.
Fastbreak No. 1, 695 North Main Street in Vidor: 99. Light shields were needed inside walk-in cooler.
Cajun Works Texas, 1360 North Main Street in Vidor: 99. Vents at Vent-a-Hood needed to be cleaned of old grease.
Gator’s Nest, 3145 Texas Avenue in Bridge City: 99. Vents at Vent-a-Hood and area around air vents above prep area needed to be cleaned of old foods and grease.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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