3 Palm Springs area restaurants score B and C grades

While most Coachella Valley restaurants passed their health inspections this week, three spots scored "B" and "C" grades, according to reports conducted Feb. 29 through March 7.

Edoko Sushi in Cathedral City and Pho Vu in Palm Desert both earned "B" grades, while Mariscocos Culiacan in Desert Hot Springs scored a "C" grade due to a number of violations that were noted during their inspections. Some of them include improper food holding temperatures, issues with handwashing areas and several instances of lack of food separation and possible contamination. All three restaurants will have an opportunity to raise their scores during reinspections.

A few other spots in the Coachella Valley failed inspections at the start of the week, but then remediated violations and passed their reinspections.

Major violations pose an imminent risk to public health and warrant the immediate closure of a food facility or immediate correction, while minor violations do not pose an imminent public health risk, but do warrant correction.

1 major violation, 26 points deducted

Mariscocos Culiacan #2, 16-760 Palm Drive, Suite 2, Desert Hot Springs

Observed a plastic container of cooked rice measuring 109-132 degrees stored inside a metal pan at hot holding unit. Employee stated rice was cooked and placed at hot holding unit less than 2 hours prior to inspection and was instructed to reheat food to 165 degrees. Employee reheated rice in microwave, placed thermometer inside rice and stated it had been reheated to proper temperature. Temperature of rice was measured at 150 degrees and employee was instructed to properly reheat rice to 165 degrees

Other violations include: All of the hand washing stations were inadequately stocked/supplied, the only hand washing sink in the food handling areas of the facility lacked soap, restrooms lacked hot water for proper hand washing, men's restroom hand dryer was observed to be inoperable; several potentially hazardous food measuring 44-48 degrees; white sushi rice stored in unplugged rice cooker without discard time label; observed wash water inside small container measuring at 81.6 degrees; observed flies throughout the kitchen and prep areas; observed fly swatters by cooks line and prep table; employee with long ponytail handling food with no hair restraint; a large plastic container of frozen cooked beans thawing on food preparation table, less than 20 minutes prior to inspection, and a raw shrimp thawing under running water that was not sufficient to flush off particles; several instances of lack of food separation and possible contamination (cases of raw tilapia, shrimp and pork stomach stored directly on the ground near rear storage area and a large bag of uncooked rice stored on ground below shelving at dry storage area; handle of scooping utensils stored in contact with sugar; an accumulation of hard water scale build up along the ice chute of the ice machine; an uncovered container of octopus stored inside refrigeration unit; food stored inside of grocery bags in freezer; unclean inner surfaces of beverage dispenser nozzles; food debris on handle of scooping utensil stored inside bulk container of sugar); certain utensils and equipment need to be repaired and cleaned; missing thermometers inside refrigeration units; sanitizer bucket stored on food preparation table next to packages of tortillas and wiping cloth stored on cutting board; deteriorated grout between floor tiles at ware washing area; unclean floors below shelving at dry storage area; four expired food handler cards

"C" card posted and a reinspection has been set for March 26

1 major violation, 20 points deducted

Edoko Sushi, 69-195 Ramon Road, Suite C5, Cathedral City

Missing time measurements for when food should be discarded (sushi rice pot should have been discarded the night before, another sushi pot did not note the four-hour discard time) | One pot of sushi rice was discarded, while the inspector instructed the cook to indicate the proper four-hour discard time on the other

Other violations include: Wall mounted paper towel and soap dispensers need to be stocked at the sushi bar hand wash sink; issues with hot and cold food holding temperatures (breaded deep fried shrimp measuring 56-58 degrees, less than one hour since preparation); observed pipes either going down into the floor sink or draining on the floor; discontinue propping the front entry door open; raw beef prepped adjacent to the table where the sushi rice pots are stored, a container of raw chicken stored over ready-to-eat foods in fridge, large sauce pot stored on the floor inside the walk-in refrigerator, double- and triple-stacked plastic wrapped food storage containers inside the cookline refrigerator, vase with flowers stored over ready-to-eat foods inside the walk-in refrigerator, open bags of food need to be stored in approved containers inside the reach-in cookline freezer; certain utensils and equipment need to be in good repair and cleaned; sushi rice scoop stored in standing room temperature water and the mouth contact area of chilled glassware stored directly on the shelving where beverage bottles are also stored; burnt out light bulb in the light fixture over cookline; dirty wiping towels stored on the cookline side table; detailed cleaning needed on the floor, floor sinks and walls; no food handler cards provided at time of the inspection

"B" card posted. No information available about a reinspection date

Pho Vu, 34-260 Monterey Ave., Suite 101, Palm Desert

Two live nymphs and several flies in the back of the facility | Manager stated that the facility has a pest control service

Other violations include: Food manager's certificate expired; one handwash sink blocked by the trash bin and no paper towels stocked in two dispensers; back delivery door has gaps and a can of Raid stored in a bucket near the mop sink area; several instances of lack of food separation and possible contamination (several foods uncovered inside the flip top cooler; a bin of bean sprouts with holes submerged in another bin with ice; a pot with cooked shrimp filled with ice water inside the 3compartment sink for cooling; raw chicken stored over containers of soy sauce in the walk-in cooler); observed food stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer and metal bowls with food stored/placed between the fryer and stove at the cook's line; certain utensils and equipment need to be repaired and cleaned; sanitizer buckets do not have proper sanitizer concentration level and soiled wiping cloth unattended by cook's line and server station; plumbing in need of repair; personal food items and a box of Band-Aids stored on shelving near the clean dishes and over food items; floors, walls and ceiling need to be repaired and cleaned; several food handler cards expired

"B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set for March 7

Grade A restaurants

An “A” grade, or a score of 90 to 100 points, means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards.

Cathedral City

Burger King, 69-120 Ramon Road Panda Express, 68-900 Ramon Road

Santorini Greek Cafe, 68-375 E. Palm Canyon Drive

Palm Springs Lanes, 68-051 Ramon Road

Wingstop, 31-855 Date Palm Drive, Suite 6

Elvira's Taqueria, 69-115 Ramon Road, Suite F3

Five03 Pupusas, 69-185 Ramon Road, Suite D3

El Rancho Meat Market, 32-235

Date Palm Drive, Suite 104

Wang's Chinese Cuisine, 35-300 Date Palm Drive

Applebee's Grill + Bar, 32-400 Date Palm Drive (following reinspection)

Castanedas Mexican Food, 67-555 E. Palm Canyon Drive (following reinspection)

Family

Palm Drive

Taqueria Tortilla Factory, 35-270 Date Palm Drive

Weenee Roadhouse, 35-400 Date Palm Drive

Desert Hot Springs

Mission Lakes Country Club (Sand Wedge Café), 8484 Club House Drive

Indian Wells

Indian Wells Tennis Garden (various concessions and restaurants in stadiums 1 and 2), 78-200 Miles Ave.

Indio

Sloan's, 81-539 Highway 111

Palm Desert

Savory Spice Shop, 73-399 El Paseo, Suite 103

Mitch's on El Paseo Prime Seafood, 73-951 El Paseo (following reinspection)

Palm Springs

Pomme Frite, 256 S. Palm Canyon Drive

Townie Bagels, 650 Dunes Road

Villa Royale, 1620 S. Indian Trail (facility reopened)

Fireside Lounge, 696 S. Oleander Road

Smoke Tree Ranch, 1800 S. Sunrise Way

Teriyaki Yogi, 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 210

Lappert's Ice Cream, 130 N. Palm Canyon Drive

On The Mark, 111 N. Palm Canyon Drive

Starbucks Coffee, 101 N. Palm Canyon Drive

The Avalon Hotel, 415 S. Belardo Road

Carl's Jr., 2520 N. Palm Canyon Drive

Rancho Mirage

The Palms Cafe, 69-930 Highway 111, Suite 120 (following reinspection)

Omni Rancho Las Palmas, 41-000 Bob Hope Drive

The Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa, 71-333 Dinah Shore Drive

Desert Island Country Club, 71-777 Frank Sinatra Drive

Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for the week of Feb. 29 through March 7 in Coachella and La Quinta.

This weekly report was compiled using restaurant grading reports from the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, accessible at restaurantgrading.rivcoeh.org/Default.aspx

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

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