Health violations ranging from cockroach infestations to fire damage and rodent droppings to plumbing woes were among the factors that led to the temporary closure of 10 restaurants or food businesses across Fresno County in October.
The closures by Fresno County Department of Public Health inspectors affected businesses in Fresno, Clovis, Reedley, Easton and Caruthers. Most of the closures lasted for a day or two, but two places remained closed as of early November.
The Fresno businesses included a Holiday Inn Express, Papaya Fresh International Market and Pho #76, while Clovis restaurants affected were a Jersey Mike’s Subs shop, Japanese Kitchen, and Kowloon Kitchen. In rural Fresno County, The Pirate’s Den and Sun China Chinese Restaurant in Reedley were closed after inspections, as was the Adina Valley Market in Easton and the Super Mart in Caruthers.
Details from the county’s inspections include:
- Holiday Inn Express , 7191 W. Kathryn Ave. near Herndon Avenue and Highway 99 in northwest Fresno: The kitchen of the hotel was closed after an Oct. 1 inspection due to operating without a valid county permit. An inspector also attempted to conduct a routine inspection but was not given access to the facility’s food and beverage area by the front desk. The kitchen was authorized to reopen on Oct. 4 after the business obtained its permit.
- Papaya Fresh International Market , 2047 W. Shaw Ave. near West Avenue in northwest Fresno: The bakery area of the market was closed following an Oct. 1 fire in the roof where the mechanical ventilation for the oven was located. The bakery remained closed as of Nov. 4.
- Super Mart , 2307 W. Tahoe Ave. at Henderson Road in Caruthers: An Oct. 4 inspection determined that none of the refrigerator units at the store/restaurant were able to maintain temperatures cold enough to meet food-safety requirements, forcing a closure of the business and the destruction of more than 40 pounds of food that was held in the refrigerators. The business was allowed to reopen later the same day after the refrigerators were serviced.
- Adina Valley Market , 9010 S. Elm Ave. at Manning Avenue, south of Easton: The market was closed on Oct. 4 after an inspection found there was a lack of potable water; the business was allowed to reopen after a reinspection visit later that day.
- Sun China Chinese Restaurant , 1526 E. Manning Ave., at S. Buttonwillow Avenue in the Reedley Shopping Center: The restaurant was ordered closed after an Oct. 8 inspection discovered a cockroach infestation, rodent droppings in a storage room and an extensive buildup of grease on kitchen equipment. The restaurant was allowed to reopen after passing an Oct. 10 reinspection.
- Pho #76 restaurant, 4793 E. McKinley Ave. near Chestnut Avenue in east-central Fresno: An Oct. 10 health inspection revealed a cockroach infestation that forced the closure of the restaurant. It reopened a day later, Oct. 11, following a reinspection visit.
- Jersey Mike’s Subs #20197 , 3170 Fowler Ave. at Ashlan Avenue, in the Vons shopping center in Clovis: Plumbing problems including a kitchen warewashing sink not draining and the presence of standing water during an Oct. 14 inspection prompted a closure order for the restaurant. A reinspection later the same day allowed the business to reopen.
- The Pirate’s Den , 1550 E. Manning Ave. at S. Buttonwillow Avenue in the Reedley Shopping Center: An Oct. 17 inspection discovered a lack of hot water at the warewashing sink in the kitchen. The restaurant remained closed as of Nov. 4.
- Japanese Kitchen , 711 W. Shaw Ave. at Willow Avenue, in the Western Village Shopping Center in Clovis: The restaurant was closed following an Oct. 22 inspection due to cockroaches throughout the facility and an accumulation of grease on cooking equipment. An Oct. 25 resinspection visit allowed the restaurant to reopen.
- Kowloon Kitchen , 651 Shaw Ave. at Clovis Avenue, in the Bonanza Shopping Center in Clovis: An Oct. 25 inspection found that there was a lack of hot water at the warewashing and handwashing sinks in the kitchen. The restaurant was reopened later that day after hot water was restored.