Flies, brown running water & more: Latest Myrtle Beach restaurant inspections

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture found brown running water, flies and undated seafood in the most recent health and safety inspections around the Myrtle Beach area.

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 145 restaurant inspections conducted in Horry and Georgetown County between Aug. 23 and Aug. 29, SCDA gave seven facilities B grades and no C grades. However, only five of those establishments actually scored below 88 points. Here’s what inspectors found.

Taqueria El Sabor A Mexico

1600 N. Main St., Conway, SC 29526

1206 S. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 78

At a routine inspection of Taqueria El Sabor A Mexico on Aug. 26, the battery wasn’t kept on to operate water at the handsink while the food truck was in operation. The water tank and system weren’t cleaned, sanitized and flushed prior to operation, so when the faucet was turned on, water flowed brown — although the report notes there were several gallons of commercially packaged drinking water on hand for use.

The inspector also observed an employee put on gloves without washing their hands, a plastic bag of raw beef in contact with a bag of tortillas in the cooler, hot foods like cooked beef and pork and cold foods like salsa and cheese without temperature control, foods like eggs and cooked rice stored at insufficiently cold temperatures and a clean cutting board stored on the floor with chemicals. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 6.

Texas Roadhouse Grill

760 Coastal Grand Circle, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 78

A routine inspection of Texas Roadhouse Grill in Coastal Grand Mall found small flies in the server wait station, dirty pans stored as clean used for food storage, dirty food-contact equipment stored as clean, foods like prime rib and rice at insufficiently hot temperatures and foods like blue cheese dressing and steaks at insufficiently cold temperatures.

The inspector also observed an employee change gloves and switch tasks without washing their hands, a plunger stored in contact with bags of breader, inadequate sanitizer in a wiping cloth bucket, chipped and cracked pans, a heavily-scored cutting board and buildup on dish racks, vents and hood filters. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 6.

Buzz’s Roost

911 Front St., Georgetown, South Carolina 29440

Score: 78

In response to a complaint, the SCDA conducted an inspection of Buzz’s Roost on Aug. 26. The inspector observed queso and soup at insufficiently hot temperatures, foods like fish and lettuce at insufficiently cold temperatures and improperly cooled macaroni and cheese.

The inspection report also noted a kitchen knife stored between the sides of a prep station salad cooler, buildup on the fry area walls and backsplash around the dish-washing area. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 6.

Maggie D’s Fine Italian Cuisine

407 Seaboard St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Score: 81

At a routine inspection of Maggie D’s Fine Italian Cuisine on Aug. 26, several mussel tags weren’t dated, heavy cream and a mixture of oil and cheese were insufficiently cold temperatures, ready-to-eat deli meats and cheese had container labels dated to Aug. 19 and several pastas were improperly cooled.

Other violations included dirty bowls stored as clean, an in-use cutting board with unclean surfaces, utensils stored in the gaps between equipment, whisks stored with the food-contact surfaces up, scoops without handles and inadequate sanitizer in the dish washer. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 6.

Jupiter Pies

9261 Highway 707, Unit B, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

Score: 82

A routine inspection of Jupiter Pies on Aug. 26 found banana and banana nut breads without dates marked to ensure safe consumption, banana and banana nut breads at insufficiently cold temperatures and a carton of eggs sitting on top of jugs of milk in the refrigerator.

The inspection report also notes there was buildup of debris on prep tables, shelves, dollies, the refrigerator track, floors and under all equipment. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 6.

The Trestle Bakery and Cafe

308 Main St., Conway, SC 29526

Score: 83

At a routine inspection of The Trestle on Aug. 25, the inspector observed foods like chicken salad and boiled eggs at insufficiently cold temperatures, a cell phone on a cutting board, improperly cooled foods and green beans and rice without temperature control, which an employee said were kept on a prep table and heated up when orders were received.

The inspection report also notes there were accumulations of grease, grime and debris on the sides of cookline equipment, walls, floors and hood filters. A follow-up inspection is to be conducted on or before Sept. 4.