Another round of restaurants were downgraded or closed by Riverside County health inspectors this week, according to reports.
Thai Hot Restaurant in Indio was shut down due to previous downgrades and repeat violations. When inspectors returned a few days later, they saw violations were corrected, which led to the facility reopening.
Elsewhere, Fong Lam in Coachella, Blazing King BBQ & Hotpot and City Wok in Palm Desert all received "B" grades due to a number of violations. They will each be revisited by inspectors in the coming days.
Here are the restaurants that were inspected in the Coachella Valley Aug. 7 through 13:
Temporary closure
Thai Hot Restaurant, 81-944 Highway 111, Suite C-D, Indio
- Inspection conducted Aug. 7
- Major violation: Dishwasher had improper chlorine concentration; wet dishes stacked for service after ware washing without air drying
- Minor violations: Observed employee to be drinking from an open cup at the dishwasher area; improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (shrimp, container of chicken out of temperature); cooked eggrolls cooled down improperly; a couple flies to be in the back kitchen; lack of food separation and possible contamination (raw shell eggs stored in a stainless-steel container with cooked pork and chicken; raw meats stored with ready-to-eat foods (sauces) in the reach in freezer; uncovered container of loose leaf tea stored in the server station); and others
- Due to previous downgrades and repeat violations, facility has been closed with the permit revoked
- Inspectors returned Aug. 10, and after seeing that the facility corrected its violation, it was approved to reopen
'B' grades
Fong Lam, 49-707 Harrison St., Coachella
- Inspection conducted Aug. 11
- Minor violations: No food manager certificate; no paper towel inside the dispenser at the back of the facility; bin of noodles cooling in an unapproved method; observed rodent droppings in the restroom/utensil storage area; lack of food separation and possible contamination (several containers of open food (raw and cooked meats) in the walk-in cooler/freezer; raw meats stored above ready-to-eat meats in the walk in cooler; bowl stacked on top of another uncovered food bowl; double staking cooked meats without approved lids; dented can of tomato ketchup in the back dry storage area); and others
- "B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set
Blazing King BBQ & Hotpot, 72-600
Dinah Shore Drive, Palm Desert
- Inspection conducted Aug. 11
- Major violation: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (various sauces, edamame, fish cake, seaweed salad out of temperature)
- Minor violations: Hand washing sinks were blocked or did not have soap available; education provided on proper warewashing techniques; observed soiled mop water in mop buckets; and others
- "B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set
City Wok, 72-840 Highway 111, Suite W400, Palm Desert
- Inspection conducted Aug. 13
- Minor violations: Observed the dishwasher to be drinking from an open container in front of the soda dispensing machine during the time of the inspections; improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (cooked mixed vegetables, tomato sauce out of temperature); observed the mop sink to not be draining; lack of food separation and possible contamination (scoop handles touching food product at the cooks line; raw shrimp uncovered and stored next to uncovered ready-to-eat foods); and others
- "B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set
'A' grades
An “A” grade, or a score of 90 to 100 points, means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards.
Cathedral City
- Domino's Pizza, 31-855 Date Palm Drive
- Swiss Donuts, 31-755 Date Palm Drive, Suite K
Coachella
- Becca's Dough Bakery (home-based food facility)
- Del Taco, 85-494 Vista Del Norte
- La Noria Café Restaurant, 49-613 Cesar Chavez St., Suite B106
Desert Hot Springs
- King's Liquor & Market, 12-350 Palm Drive
- Super Liquor, 12-235 Palm Drive
- Taqueria Rancho #6, 14-201 Palm Drive, Suite 110
Indio
- Better Ice Cream, 42-250 Jackson St., Suite C102
- Heirloom Craft Kitchen, 49-990 Jefferson St., Suite 100
- Lunas Bar & Grill, 49-830 Jefferson St., Suite 100 (passed reinspection)
- McDonald's, 42-295 Jefferson St.
- Raising Cane's, 82-171 Avenue 42
- Smokey Lips Catering, 83-711 Peach St.
- Starbucks, 82-041 Avenue 42
- Tacos La Fogata, 84-400 Indio Blvd.
- The Local on 50th, 49-990 Jefferson St., Suite 110 (passed reinspection)
La Quinta
- Kiki's, 46-660 Washington St., Suite 8
- Sabatino's Pizza Pasta and Wings, 79-410 Highway 111, Suite 103 (passed reinspection and reopened since last report)
Palm Desert
- 85°C Bakery Cafe, 34-140 Monterey Ave.
- Castaneda's Mexican Food, 72-810 Dinah Shore Drive
- Crepe(ing) Ramen, 72-840 Highway 111, Suite 8 (passed reinspection)
- Del Taco, 34-540 Monterey Ave.
- El Pollo Loco, 34-620 Monterey Ave.
- El Ranchito Taco Shop, 34-580 Monterey Ave., Suite 103
- Jamba Juice, 72-840 Highway 111, Suite 377
- La Baguette, 34-580 Monterey Ave.
- La Dolce Piccola Galateria, 73-255 El Paseo, Suite 20
- Lappert's Super Premium Ice Cream, 73-221 Highway 111, Suite C
- Mario's Italian Cafe, 73-155 Highway 111, Suite A (passed reinspection)
- Pokehana, 73-405 Highway 111, Suite 104
- Rubio's Coastal Grill, 73-399 Highway 111, Suite 1
- Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt, 72-840 Highway 111, Suite K9021
- Wonder, 74-275 Highway 111
Palm Springs
- China Oasis Bistro, 295 N. Indian Canyon Drive
- Gelato Granucci, 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 104
- Inka Peruvian Cuisine, 360 N. Palm Canyon Drive (passed reinspection and reopened since last report)
- Terra Palm Springs, 888 N. Indian Canyon Drive
Rancho Mirage
- Capriotti's, 36-101 Bob Hope Drive, Suite G2
Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for businesses in the city of Indian Wells from Aug. 6 through 13.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com, on X @ema_sasic or on Instagram @emasasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs area Thai restaurant temporarily closed by inspectors
