Flies at the buffet & unsafe food temps: the latest Myrtle Beach area restaurant inspections
The latest restaurant inspections by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture gave seven restaurants B grades and two others C grades. The department is responsible for regularly inspecting the health and safety of retail food establishments in the state.
In general, the Department of Agriculture gives restaurants scoring between 88 and 100 points A grades, restaurants scoring 78-87 points B grades and restaurants scoring 77 points or fewer C grades, but this isn’t always the case.
Of the 156 restaurants inspected in Horry and Georgetown County from Sept. 13 to Sept. 20, the date with the most recently available inspection reports, two establishments received C grades: Billy the Kid’s Restaurant and the Circle K Subway at 3710 Highway 501.
An additional seven restaurants, the AFC Sushi in Publix at 1576 Highway 17 North, Bonefish Grille at 103 South Kings Highway, El Buen Sabor Mexican and Centro, Hooks Calabash Seafood, Sugar Life Ice Cream and Candy, Pho Claire and Woodhaven Pancake House, all received B grades.
However, only one restaurant actually scored below 89 points. The reason these grades differ from their numerical scores is because the Department of Agriculture sometimes docks restaurants’ grades if the establishment has consecutive violations, is under enforcement action or is under pending enforcement actions, including an imminent health hazard, permit suspension or permit revocation.
Here’s what inspectors found at the restaurant that did receive a numerical score in the B range.
1902 North Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577
Score: 81
A routine inspection of Hooks Calabash Seafood on Sept. 20 found several violations, including flies at the shrimp and oyster area of the buffet, fly strips hanging throughout the kitchen and storage areas, and foods like fish, shrimp, chicken and imitation crab stored at unsafe temperatures. The report also notes that shellfish weren’t marked with the last dates of use and the dishwasher didn’t have sufficiently hot water. A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Sept. 30.
More information about South Carolina regulations for retail food establishments can be accessed online here.