EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Two El Paso County restaurants were temporarily shut down in a single week with health code violations ranging from employees not washing their hands, to cockroaches and ants on the floor where to-go boxes were stored.
New Panda on E. Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard temporarily closed after racking up 27 violations in its latest routine health inspection, including employees not washing their hands before touching food, then prepping food without gloves. To-go boxes were also stored on the floor, where dead cockroaches and live ants were spotted.
“[We] corrected the code, and when she came back, she was happy and let us reopen,” said an employee when we stopped by.
After our visit, the owner got back to us saying the team acted immediately to correct the problems, and New Panda was allowed to reopen the very next day.
Another local restaurant temporarily shut down in the same week: Pho-N-Thai on North Nevada Avenue.
The restaurant had 19 violations, to name a few:
The owner touched food with a bandaged finger and no gloves. The owner was also caught touching raw food, then veggies immediately after. Cooked food, like noodles and rice, was stored outside of the fridge, and there was no sanitizer in the dishwasher.
When we went there, no one was inside except a few flies meeting us at the window.
We could tell some heavy-duty cleaning had been started.
We’re still waiting for a response from Pho-N-Thai.
High scores:
Booey’s Bakery in Calhan got a perfect score.
Some other high scores this week:
The Loop in Manitou Springs, Gyros Plus in the Briargate Neighborhood of Colorado Springs, and the Back East Bar and Grill in Monument.
The owner of Back East, Mike Davis, says food safety is a team effort!
“You have to do it every day or you’ll get behind really quick,” Mike explained. “There’s a lot of bad things that can come from foodborne illness. I have people who have been working for me for fifteen years in my kitchens, so they know the expectations.”
We’re told they serve elevated food for a sports bar, along with elevated vibes.
“It’s got a really good atmosphere, good food, good customers,” Mike said.
And, you don’t have to be from the East Coast; they cater to Coloradans, too.
“Always got the Broncos on,” Mike assured.
Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurant to know the kitchen inside is clean.