What a health inspector found at a Little River restaurant: Blood and rat droppings

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A Little River waterfront restaurant had rat droppings on a dish machine and blood on a casserole during a routine health inspection, according to a report from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Buzz’s Roost, at 4498 Water Front Ave., scored an 80 percent on the inspection Tuesday. The restaurant received a perfect score in a follow-up inspection Nov. 14.

An inspector found an uncovered pan of cheddar broccoli casserole — stored on a 5-gallon bucket on the floor — with a drop of blood on top of the food, the report states.

There were rat droppings on the dish machine and on the floor beneath it and grease was built up on the floor and under equipment, according to the inspection.

The hand-washing station was turned off due to a plumbing issue and the restaurant was not following proper cold-holding temperatures and had food with out-of-date markings, the report states.

DHEC conducts inspections — what it calls a “snapshot in time” of retail food establishments,” employee behavior and preparation practices — annually or quarterly depending on the establishment’s food processes and compliance history. Grades are on a 100-point scale, with letter grades A through C.

This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 11:07 AM.