Major chain, local sushi, 4 other Merced-area restaurants failed health inspections
Six restaurants or markets in Merced and Los Banos received “unsatisfactory” ratings in May as a result of food-safety violations discovered by Merced County health inspectors in May.
The county gives “good” ratings to businesses with six or fewer violation points, “satisfactory” ratings for seven to 13 violation points, and “unsatisfactory” ratings for 14 or more violation points. Twenty-one food businesses received satisfactory marks, and 95 received “good” scores – including 54 where no violations were found.
The Merced places that landed on the unsatisfactory list were La Michoacana USA on West Olive Avenue; Carniceria Don Goyos on Beachwood Drive; and El Tlahualil on V Street.
In Los Banos, unsatisfactory ratings went to Chili’s Grill and Bar and Sugoi Sushi, both on East Pacheco Boulevard, and A1 Step & Save on N. Mercey Springs Road.
May was the second straight month in which the A-1 Step & Save, a convenience store at Mercey Springs Road and Overland Avenue in Los Banos, received an unsatisfactory score. The store piled up 15 violation points from a May 9 inspection in which inspectors found that the staff was not properly trained in how to wash, rinse and sanitize items. The store was also using lavendar-scented cleaner for washing dishes instead of cleaners with no additional chemicals.
In April, the store accumulated 40 violation points for a wide range of problems.
At Sugoi Sushi in Los Banos, violations added up to 36 points in a May 10 inspection. Among the issues were using sponges which can harbor bacteria to sanitize dishes; a buildup of dush on knife holders; ant potentially hazardous foods being left out at room temperature instead of being properly refrigerated or heated.
Among the violations that amounted to 31 points in a May 22 inspection at the Chili’s Grill & Bar in Los Banos were water that failed to reach more than 81 degrees at a handwashing sink; cooking aprons blocking access to a soap dispenser; another handwashing sink blocked by dirty dishes; a kitchen staff person using their personal cell phone and then serving food without washing their hands; frozen chicken being left out at room temperature; and a refrigerator that was not keeping food below 41 degrees.
Among the unsatisfactory Merced businesses, El Tlahualil on V Street had a lack of hot water in its May 14 inspection, including inoperable hot-water faucets at handwashing, prep and mop sinks in the kitchen, and no paper towels at the handwashing sink. The violations added up to 25 points.
A May 23 inspection at Carniceria Don Goyos on Beachwood Drive in Merced turned up 18 violation points for such issues as sales of dried meats produced on the site without a license from the state Department of Food & Agriculture; equipment left in a handwashing sink; and an inoperable soap dispenser.
At La Michoacana USA on West Olive Avenue in Merced, staff were seen not washing their hands before serving customers; the front handwashing sink had non-functioning faucet handles and an inoperable paper towel dispenser; and two prep refrigerators were not holding food below 46 degrees. Those problems and others added up to 24 violation points.
Merced County’s Environmental Health Division maintains a database of restaurant and food inspections online for public viewing at its web page, www.countyofmerced.com/597/Environmental-Health; click the “Food Inspections” tab along the left side of the page.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 2:01 PM.
