RESTAURANT ROUNDUP: Windex, paint primer contribute to closure of Colo. Springs restaurant

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - For only the second time in 2025, the El Paso County Health Department recently closed a restaurant due to its low score on a routine health inspection. Meanwhile, Restaurant Roundup's Bart Bedsole awarded a local ice cream shop with one of the top scores of the week.

Little Nepal

Little Nepal at North Academy and Flintridge was inspected on Feb. 20 and was told to shut down after the inspector documented a long list of violations.

Among the problems: 

• A worker was seen dropping utensils on the floor and then putting them back alongside clean utensils 
• A worker was also spotted using Windex, a toxic chemical, to clean a food prep table 
• An empty container of paint primer, a toxic chemical, was found sitting on a food prep table 
• A food thermometer was at least 10 degrees off 
• There was a garbage pileup outside the back door instead of in a dumpster 

When KRDO13 Investigates visited Little Nepal, the owner wasn’t on site, but a staff member was able to reach him on the phone. 

Over the phone, he explained that his main chef was off for an extended period, and his replacement was not aware of all the regulations within the health code. 

Owner Sagar Pandey said, “I have a main chef; he was off for a week because of his back pain.  Yeah, so there was some issues for the duration. Yeah, but he's back.” 

Pandey also explained that the trash outside wasn't his. 

“That belong to the next door. So they are planning to open a grocery store there, so the trash was not ours,” he said. 

A worker next door later confirmed that although the pile of mainly broken pallets and carboard was just outside the back door to the restaurant, it was indeed from the work being done next door. 

Little Nepal was allowed to reopen the day after its closure, and although a series of violations were also found during its re-inspection on Feb. 27, it received a passing grade. 

Xiang's Kitchen

Xiang's Kitchen at Constitution and Powers, which also failed its inspection in June of 2024, failed again on Feb. 27. 

This time, employees were cleaning the floor and then preparing food without first washing their hands. 

There were multiple items stored on the floor instead of above the floor. 

The inspector also noted that the walls and ceiling were heavily soiled. 

When KRDO13 Investigates went to Xiang’s Kitchen to ask about the violations, the empty dining room looked particularly clean. 

However, the owners admittedly speak only limited English and couldn’t adequately respond to questions about the violations.

The restaurant passed its re-inspection on March 7.

Parry's Pizzeria

In the Feb. 13 edition of Restaurant Roundup, Parry’s Pizzeria was featured after failing its health inspection with 12 violations at the beginning of the month. 

Less than a month later, a sister location also failed its inspection.

The Parry's Sliceria at Powers and Barnes racked up 9 violations.

During the inspector’s visit on Feb. 28, both handwashing sinks in the kitchen were blocked, one by carts of dough and the other by beer kegs. 

A food handler was spotted using a cell phone while wearing gloves and cooking meat, and instead of reaching 172 degrees, the sausage being cooked at the time only reached 121 degrees.

Parry's did not respond to KRDO13's request for comment on the violations.

The restaurant passed its reinspection on March 7.

High scores

Several restaurants recently earned a perfect score on their inspection: 

• Dickey's BBQ – 1252 Interquest 
• Haagen Dazs - 1605 Briargate Pkwy 
• McDonald's - 1244 N Academy 

Others barely missed earning a perfect score: 

• McDonalds - 7901 Woodmen Center Heights (Falcon) 
• Josh & John's - 329 N Tejon 

40 years after the company was created, Josh & John’s currently operates three locations in Colorado Springs, with a fourth expected to open in the Creekwalk community along South Nevada sometime in the spring.

Brandon Dale, General Manager of the Tejon location, says while there might not be a lot of raw meat to manage, the majority of health code regulations apply just the same to his shop. 

“Ice cream is maybe simpler than some food, but there are those obstacles we have to make sure we keep our eye on,” he says.” 

Dale credits a system of training and operating that makes food safety a priority. 

“We kind of put it on the front of everyone's mind.  We have a lot of systems developed, so it's kind of just the process of their shifts, and it's kind of natural just to keep a clean track after you're scooping ice cream, and so from our scoopers to the top. We create those policies and procedures, we create those policies and procedures." 

According to Dale, the most popular flavors at the downtown location are ‘Colorado Cookies and Cream’ and ‘Purple Mountain Majesty.’

Don't forget to look for the Top Score and Perfect Score award at your favorite restaurant to know that the kitchen is clean.

Click here to review all recent health inspections in El Paso County.