Several San Antonio food establishments kicked off the new year grappling with the consequences of poor health inspection scores in the final days of 2023. Notable among them was Golden Wok, a Chinese restaurant on SW Loop 410, which wound up with a failing score of 69, according to a report by KSAT. The venue tallied 22 violations, some repeated, including the unsafe storage of raw meats and lack of handwashing by employees.
Similarly embattled was El Canelo #7 on Culebra Road, which managed a score of 77 but had to shut its doors temporarily, no thanks to the lack of hot water. This eatery also demonstrated a dubious choice in storing commercial bug spray near food items, raising concerns over contamination. After their hot water mishap was corrected, they were allowed to reopen, BollyInside reports.
Not faring much better, Palomar Comida and Cantina on West Avenue was hit with an 80 on its December inspection. Inspectors found pre-packaged drinks and fruits cohabitating with the ice meant for customers' drinks, dirty utensils in storage, and an unwelcome assortment of expired food items. The issue of flying insects simply added to the establishment's list of woes.
Meanwhile, Jim's Coffee Shop on West Hildebrand continued its battle with rodents, an issue lingering from the previous inspection in April. Despite a slight score improvement to 81, the presence of droppings, and a trapped dead mouse still presented a clear problem. Persistent, or outright neglected? Such incidents underscore the continuous pest control struggles in the food service industry.
Even Nick's Mart on New Laredo Highway wasn't immune to scrutiny, scoring an 86 with expired food items still up for sale and an ice machine featuring an unwelcome growth of black substance. Issues with labeling and hot water for handwashing also marred their inspection report.
While these establishments struggle, it's not all doom and gloom on the San Antonio food scene. Several businesses attained top marks, boasting scores from 90 to a perfect 100, as detailed by both KSAT and BollyInside. Foodie patrons of San Antonio can only hope that establishments scoring lower than the standard will take swift actions to ensure they are not just meet but exceed health and safety expectations in 2024.
