This Myrtle Beach restaurant got such a low inspection score it temporarily closed. Here’s why

In the most recent health and safety inspections around the Myrtle Beach area, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture observed employees fail to wash their hands after handling raw meat, wash their hands without soap and wash their hands while wearing single-use gloves.

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 248 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between Aug. 9 and Aug. 22, SCDA gave 12 facilities B grades and four restaurants C grades. However, only five of those establishments actually scored below 88 points. Here’s what inspectors found.

Lemongrass

1943 Mr. Joe White Ave., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 59

Lemongrass voluntarily agreed to temporarily close after SCDA found significant violations in an inspection conducted on Aug. 19 in response to a complaint.

The inspector observed several employees fail to wash their hands between handling raw and ready-to-eat foods, even after being advised by the person in charge and inspectors. Employees also attempted to wash their hands without soap or paper towels, attempted to wash their hands with single-use gloves on and rinsed their hands for only a few seconds before returning to food tasks. Additionally, employees failed to change their gloves between tasks like handling dirty dishes and preparing food, and they handled ready-to-eat foods with their bare hands even after being advised to stop.

The inspection report also notes an employee dropped a knife and continued using it without washing the knife, improperly thawing raw beef and raw fish alongside each other in bins at a sink filled with dirty dishes, ready-to-eat foods like shrimp and broccoli held for more than a day without date markings, foods like egg rolls and sauce held at insufficiently hot temperatures, and foods like rice and beef stored at insufficiently cold temperatures.

Other violations included food and unwrapped to-go boxes stored on floors throughout the kitchen, insufficient sanitizer in the dish washer, not easily identifiable foods in unlabeled containers, food containers reused for chemical storage, chemicals stored alongside food, damp cleaning cloths left on the counter instead of kept in sanitizer between uses and a gap in the back door, which SCDA considers a risk for pests.

In a follow-up inspection the next day, Lemongrass scored 92 points and was cleared to reopen.

Lin’s Garden

1105 Church St., Conway, SC 29526

Score: 79

At an Aug. 21 routine inspection of Lin’s Garden, the inspector observed an employee put on gloves without washing their hands after handling raw chicken, a sink that wasn’t washed after being used to prepare raw chicken and an employee handling a cell phone before resuming food prep without washing their hands.

Other violations included uncovered raw fish stored on a wire shield over an uncovered container of noodles, mussels in liquid stored on a wire shelf over uncovered cut cabbage, foods like chicken and sausage stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, ready-to-eat foods at the salad bar like cantaloupe and lettuce held at insufficiently cold temperatures, a grinder stored without being washed and sanitized after use and gaps in the sides of the back door, which SCDA considers a risk for pests.

The inspection report also notes foods weren’t frozen in the walk-in freezer where there was water puddled on the floor and there were heavy accumulations of grease, grime and debris on the fryers, counters, shelves, speed rack, fan and refrigerator floor. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Aug. 31.

Boulineau’s Express

1116 Sea Mountain Highway, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Score: 82

In a routine inspection of Boulineau’s Express on Aug. 21, ready-to-eat foods at the hot bar like fried chicken and corndogs were held at insufficiently hot temperatures and didn’t have recorded times for safe consumption.

The inspection report also noted food products stored on the floor of the walk-in freezer, dirt and rust on shelves, dirty floors in the walk-in refrigerator and grease on storage containers and pans. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Aug. 31.

River Oaks Pizzeria

154 Sapwood Drive, Unit 107, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

Score: 82

At a routine inspection of River Oaks Pizzeria on Aug. 14, the person in charge didn’t have a food handler certificate, there was no sanitizer in the dish washer, ready-to-eat foods like lasagna and chicken wings were held for more than a day without date markings and dates on red sauce and chicken were a week old.

The inspector also observed a single-use glove in tomatoes in a prep cooler, containers of food stored on the floor of the walk-in refrigerator and gelato scoops stored in standing water.

But on Aug. 19, River Oaks Pizzeria earned 100 points in a follow-up inspection.

Spencerz Sports Bar

1880 Highway 17 N., Surfside Beach, SC 29575

Score: 84

In response to a complaint, the SCDA inspected Spencerz Sports Bar on Aug. 13. The inspector observed ready-to-eat foods like hot dogs and chili held for more than a day without dates marked, foods like sauerkraut and chicken wings stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, fly tape over food contact surfaces and a gap in the back door, which SCDA considers a risk for pests.

The inspection report also notes the person in charge didn’t have a food handler certificate, there were boxes of chicken stored on the floor of the walk-in refrigerator and containers of food weren’t covered. Other violations included heavy debris buildup in the oven, residue on refrigerator shelves, and unapproved use of outside grills.

However, in a follow-up inspection on Aug. 21, Spencerz earned a perfect score.

Nagano Japanese Grill

4544 Socastee Blvd., Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

Score: 85

At an Aug. 19 inspection of Nagano Japanese Grill, foods like egg rolls and crab sticks were stored at insufficiently cold temperatures, a cutting board was “discolored and warped,” equipment wasn’t sanitized after washing and utensils were stored in standing water.

The inspection report also notes there was an accumulation of debris in a broken cooler used for storage, paint was stored with food items and the walls were in poor condition. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Aug. 29.