Restaurant shut down after health inspector finds live roaches

This week's Restaurant Roundup features a high number of perfect scores but also one of the lowest scores in recent months that came with a closure lasting nearly a week. 

LOW SCORES 

With 17 violations, Saigon Tapioca on Galley Road across from the Citadel Mall landed at the bottom of the most recent health inspection scores.

The Vietnamese restaurant first failed its inspection back on March 11 with 14 violations and was then shut down during the re-inspection on March 20. 

The problems here include: 

-An employee washing their hands while wearing gloves instead of putting on new gloves. 

-Several types of food were found at the wrong temperature 

-Other items didn't have dates to show when they were made 

-There were dead cockroaches found next to clean mugs above the food prep table 

-The inspector also found several live cockroaches in the restaurant. 

The health department confirmed to KRDO13 that those live roaches were the reason for a 6-day closure. 

When KRDO13 stopped by Saigon Tapioca on March 31, the owner said they use Orkin for regular pest control treatments, and he couldn't explain where the bugs came from.

Bao Vu added that he was given the all-clear to reopen when inspectors felt the bugs were gone. 

“They went through and inspected, and everything looked good,” he said. 

Vu believes his restaurant is safe, and customers should feel safe eating there. 

“There's people that eat here all the time and nobody has ever gotten sick.  If anyone got sick, they would have gotten sick already.  And my kids eat here all the time.  And I eat here,” he said.

Prior to the March inspections, Saigon Tapioca had never failed an inspection, according to online county records.

It failed its third inspection on April 3, and is now awaiting a fourth visit in the next 7-10 business days.

The Urban Egg along Briargate Parkway also failed its inspection on March 10. 

Among the 10 violations found there: 

-The towel dispenser at the handwashing sink was broken, and employees were using their bare hands to turn off the faucet 

-Several food contact surfaces were not being rinsed and sanitized every four hours as required 

-There was a large gap under the back door, potentially allowing insects or rodents inside. 

-One of the workers was spotted cutting limes without first washing them 

Regional Manager Rich Tuscher told KRDO13 he was shocked to learn of the failing score and immediately took action. 

"If I'm able to come down, I'll come down,” he said. “The CEO knows immediately.  We also send out a report that day that breaks down everything we missed, and what our action plan is." 

That action plan included coaching some of his team members on handwashing and addressing every other violation immediately. 

"Everything we had that day was fixed on site,” Tuscher said. “We're ready for them to come back. We're ready for the re-inspection." 

The Urban Egg did pass it's re-inspection on April 10, but still had 6 violations, including the gap under the back door that was noted in the previous inspection as well as issues with employees touching food or clean dishes with their bare hands.

HIGH SCORES

Nothing Bundt Cakes - 5086 N Nevada 

Carnelian Coffee - 2428 W Colorado 

Noodles & Co - 1812 Southgate 

Burger King - 357 E Fillmore 

Jimmy John's - 1773 Lake Woodmoor (Monument) 

Tequila Village Mexican Cuisine - 1749 Lake Woodmoor (Monument)

KRDO13 had a chance to watch Tequila Village owner and chef Paulo Villasenor make his quesabirria tacos, currently one of the most popular items on the menu.

Villasenor is proud of his food, but says what really makes his restaurant stand out is the extensive selection of tequila, with dozens of brands lining the shelves around the bar area. 

“Not only do we have the largest selection of tequila, we also have different cocktails that you're not going to find anywhere else,” he says. 

He credits his hands-on approach for helping him earn the perfect score. 

“If I see something that is wrong, I go talk to someone, or I do it myself,” says Villasenor. 

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

Click here for a complete list of the latest retail food health inspections in El Paso County.