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Filthy fridge lands market on Restaurant report card

Consumer reporter Bill McGinty has seen pretty disturbing things in some of these inspection reports, but Thursday's segment might take the cake! And it's information you need to know!

Consumer reporter Bill McGinty has seen pretty disturbing things in some of these inspection reports, but Thursday's segment might take the cake! And it’s information you need to know!


La Romero on South Blvd received a grade of 76.5, that’s a “C”. NBC Charlotte will tell you why they earned this grade in a minute, but first, the other two contenders on the report card this week.


First up, The Wok on Providence Road, across from Waverly, had a few issues worth noting. They were dinged for an employee touching the trash can, then making food without washing his/her hands. And to boot, that’s a repeat violation! Their cutting board and a large cooking pot were marked clean but still had food debris on them. One of the employees was using the same utensils for raw beef and raw chicken. Cross-contamination can make you sick. Their grade here? An 86.5, that’s a mid “B”. Click here for The Wok's full inspection report.


Also up this week, a food truck called Antojitos Arroyo, some of their hot holding food was way below the required 135 degrees. How low? Well, the cooked onions were 87 degrees, same with the peppers. The chicken was 91 degrees, and the cooked pork was at 87 degrees, that’s 48 degrees below what it should be when safe to eat. The Health Department even threatened them with their permit if this violation happens again! Their grade this week? A 90, which is a low “A”, proving even “A” grades can have serious issues. Click here to view Antojitos Arroyo's complete inspection report.


Now back to La Romero here on South Blvd. An employee was seen handling cabbage with bare hands, and bare-handing food is never allowed. That cabbage was tossed out. They had “mayo” on the counter, which should have been below 45 degrees, but instead, that mayo, was 72 degrees, 27 degrees too warm! Click here to view their complete inspection report.


Now I thought I had seen it all with the dead mouse in the chips last year, but this might even top that! The health inspector saw “blood splatter” in some of their coolers, it was even on the fan. What from you’re wondering? The blood splatter was from the whole pigs that were being stored in there, and the kicker here? This is a repeat violation! Their grade here at the La Romero Taqueria and Juice Bar? A 76.5, that’s a “C”.


Anything lower than a 70 and the health department will shut a place down. Remember, you should always be checking the violations. Not just the grade, which by the way, should be posted right when you walk in, that’s the law. If not, ask to see it.

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