A longtime Squirrel Hill restaurant is under a consumer alert after health inspectors found dead mice near the wok line, widespread fresh droppings, and chewed-through bags of peanuts during a reinspection this week. Sichuan Gourmet on Murray Avenue failed that reinspection on Wednesday, according to the Allegheny County Health Department, which cited a dozen violations, three of them high-risk.
The alert stems from an October 8 inspection in which officials found four dead baby mice and one dead juvenile mouse on the floor near the wok line, according to Patch. Inspectors also reported what they described as too many fresh mouse droppings to count scattered through the kitchen, storage areas, dining room and beverage-prep stations, per the same report. A box of onions stored in the kitchen turned up fresh droppings at the bottom and was discarded, while a box of shelled peanuts was tossed after inspectors found chewed product and chewed bags inside.
Repeat Violations Flagged Alongside the Rodent Activity
Beyond the rodent findings, inspectors documented a deli slicer blade coated in dried food debris, an issue Audacy reports was flagged as a repeat violation even after the blade was cleaned. Dented cans of hoisin and soy sauce were also discovered in a storage closet and thrown away, the station’s report noted. Old grease and food debris buildup beneath the wok line was likewise cited as a recurring problem, according to WPXI, which also reported that inspectors noted gaps and potential entry points for rodents throughout the facility.
Per the inspection report, the alert was issued because of rodent-adulterated foods and ongoing rodent activity, and the report states that rodent violations have persisted at the restaurant. Inspectors said kitchen cleaning was insufficient and that all kitchen areas and both dry storage areas require a thorough deep cleaning, according to the same report.
What Sichuan Gourmet Must Do to Lift the Alert
According to WPXI, the health department has laid out a lengthy list of corrective steps the restaurant must complete before the alert can be removed. Those include removing all rodent droppings from the dining room, kitchen, dry storage and warewashing areas, disinfecting every contaminated surface, and monitoring food for droppings, chewed products or nesting material going forward…