Another Kailua-Kona restaurant shuttered because of multiple food safety violations

Hawai‘i Department of Health issued a red “closed” placard and immediately shuttered another Kona restaurant because of multiple food safety violations — including dead and live cockroaches on food-contact surfaces and in ready-to-eat food, unclean facilities and utensils as well as possible cross-contamination of refrigerated foods — discovered this week during an inspection.

Pancho & Lefty’s Cantina & Restaurante, located at 75-5725 Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona and operated by Kailua-Kona Restaurants, received a red placard Aug. 7 and immediately closed following a routine inspection.

A state Health Department inspector observed the following critical violations:

• Live and dead cockroaches were seen on food-contact surfaces, in ready-to-eat foods and in kitchen and food storage areas.
• Equipment, food-contact surfaces and utensils were not clean to sight and touch.
• Physical facilities were neither maintained nor cleaned.
• Handwashing sink was obstructed and not supplied with disposable towels.
• Refrigerated foods were not separated and protected to prevent cross-contamination.
• No Certified Safe Food Handler was on-site during operations.

Department of Health officials require the restaurant to take the following corrective actions before it can reopen:

• Discard all contaminated food products.
• Have a professional pest control operator perform service and submit the service report to state health officials.
• Complete a deep cleaning and disinfection of all food- and non-food contact surfaces.
• Retrain employees on proper food storage requirements.
• Ensure all handwashing stations are unobstructed and equipped with disposable towels.
• Ensure at least one employee with a valid Safe Food Handler certificate is on duty during operational hours.

A follow-up inspection also must be conducted once corrective measures are completed before restaurant operations can resume.

Hawai‘i Department of Health Food Safety Branch conducts routine health inspections of food establishments where food products are prepared, manufactured, distributed or sold. It also investigates sources of foodborne illnesses and potential adulteration, as well as being responsible for mitigating the effects of these incidents. Visit the Food Safety Branch website for additional information about the state Health Department’s placarding program.