Moldy pie, unlabeled oysters & more. The worst Myrtle Beach area restaurant violations
In the most recent restaurant inspections by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, inspectors observed moldy food, contamination from raw meat and oysters unmarked for freshness.
In general, SCDA 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.
However, the department sometimes lowers grades for restaurants that have consecutive violations, are under enforcement action or are under pending enforcement actions, including imminent health hazards, permit suspensions or permit revocations.
Of the 107 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between Jan. 2 and Jan. 9, SCDA gave five restaurants B grades and three restaurants C grades. Here’s what inspectors found.
2000 Coastal Grand Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 74
At a routine inspection of Charleys Philly Steaks in the Coastal Grand Mall on Jan. 3, the inspector observed an employee handling raw chicken with gloved hands, then handling buns, ready-to-eat foods and utensils without changing the gloves or washing their hands.
Other violations included black build-up in the ice machine, ready-to-eat foods like chopped tomatoes and cooked chicken stored for more than a day without dates marked for safe consumption and food stored on the floors of walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
The inspection report also notes that chicken wings were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, cheese sauce wasn’t properly reheated, one sink was inaccessible because it was being used for storage and another sink wasn’t stocked with soap. A follow-up inspection was scheduled for Jan. 13.
Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar & Grill
3090 Deville St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 75
A routine inspection of Dirty Don’s in The Market Common on Jan. 6 found several violations, including oysters not stored in chronological order and without dated tags, raw chicken stored uncovered over seafood and ready-to-eat foods and black build-up in the ice machine.
The inspector also observed ready-to-eat foods like shrimp and tuna stored for more than a day without dates marked for safe consumption, foods like cooked potatoes and tuna stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, unlabeled spray bottles at the cook line and inadequate levels of sanitizer in the dish washer.
The report also notes grime, dirt and textured build-up on a dicer stored as though it was clean, dish racks, the pre-rinse sprayer, cooking equipment and refrigerator shelves. A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Jan. 16.
9261 Highway 707, Unit B, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
Score: 77
At a Jan. 8 routine inspection of Jupiter Pies there were moldy tomato pies in a display case, moldy apples in the refrigerator, dirty pans from previous days stored throughout the kitchen and raw shell eggs and cracked shell eggs stored on top of cheeses.
The inspector also observed that the thermometer was inaccurate, the chlorine test kit was expired and ready-to-eat foods like milk and pies were stored for more than a day without dates marked for safe consumption.
The inspection report also notes many unclean surfaces. There were build-ups of food, grime, debris and dirt on the can opener, inside the microwave, inside the reach-in refrigerator, on oven handles, on shelving, on the mixers and under all kitchen equipment, coolers, sinks and shelves. According to the inspector’s notes, the consecutive violations may be referred for enforcement. A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Jan. 18.
2001 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 78
A Jan. 7 routine inspection of NY Pizza Kitchen Bar & Grill found several violations, including a dirty slicer stored as though clean, ready-to-eat foods like mozzarella and open hot dogs held for more than a day without dates marked for safe consumption, insufficient sanitizer in the dish washer and no food thermometer.
The inspection report also notes that the person in charge didn’t have a minimum certified food handler certification, tomato sauce was held at temperatures that weren’t hot enough, the walk-in refrigerator wasn’t cold enough and foods stored in the refrigerator like cheese and alfredo sauce weren’t adequately cold.
A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Jan. 17.
315 Highway 15, Suite C, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Score: 81
Labelled as Panaderia Jessyca on Google Maps and Facebook, Jessyca Bakery LLC was routinely inspected by the SCDA on Jan. 8. The inspection found that the person in charge didn’t have a minimum certified food handler certification, bulk containers of flour and sugar were stored uncovered and eggs were insufficiently refrigerated.
Other violations included bagged trash left on the floor of the kitchen, donuts prepared with unapproved equipment and in an outdoor frying area, splash accumulation on the walls and build-up of food and grime on mixing equipment, oven surfaces and speed racks.
The inspector also observed that the kitchen didn’t have a food thermometer or chemical sanitizer test kits. The inspection report didn’t indicate when a follow-up inspection will be conducted.
3320 4th Ave., Unit C, Conway, SC 29527
At a routine inspection of Panda Restaurant on Jan. 8, the inspector observed an employee working with raw ground beef didn’t wash their hands before putting on gloves and working with other kitchen equipment, an employee using their cellphone didn’t wash their hands before returning to work on the cookline and a cellphone on the prep surface in contact with food.
The inspection report also noted that the sink wasn’t properly cleaned after being used to prep raw chicken, raw beef was stored over uncovered cut vegetables, rice warmers “encrusted” with build-up of grease and food, buckets of not easily-identifiable food weren’t labeled and ready-to-eat chicken wings weren’t marked with a discard time.
Other violations included a heavily-rusted meat cleaver, rusted shelves, excessive build-up around a grease container and an accumulation of dirt, debris and grease on the floors and walls. The report indicates that a follow-up inspection is required, but didn’t specify when.
2780 Highway 501, Aynor, SC 29511
Score: 84
A routine inspection of the Bojangles location in Aynor on Jan. 3 found several violations, including an employee changing gloves but not washing their hands after handling raw chicken, fried chicken and dirty rice past their expirations, foods like sausage and eggs not marked with expirations and foods like liquid eggs and country ham held at insufficiently cold temperatures.
The inspector also observed an employee with long hair unrestrained, litter strewn around the back storage area and build-up around the kitchen. There were accumulations of grime, mold, grease, dirt and debris on the sink, pre-rinse sprayer, hot-holding unit, refrigerators, freezers, shelving, floors, walls and outside all kitchen equipment.
A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Jan. 13.
2286 Highway 501, Conway, SC 29526
Score: 84
At a Jan. 7 routine inspection of 501 Pizza, there were several violations, including foods like meatballs and gyro meat held that weren’t adequately refrigerated, foods like lasagna and chicken wings without preparation or discard dates to endure safe consumption and cups without handles used to scoop food.
The inspection report also notes that repurposed food containers containing new foods weren’t labeled to reflect their contents, there weren’t chemical sanitizer test strips, the hand sink didn’t have sufficiently hot water and refrigerator shelves were lined with cardboard, which is considered unsanitary because the absorbent material can harbor bacteria.
A follow-up inspection is scheduled for Jan. 17.