North Side Thai Spot Reopens After Health Shutdown Over Bugs in Rice

Manola’s Thai & Vietnamese Cuisine on San Antonio’s North Side is back open for business after Metro Health shut it down earlier this month over what inspectors called a pest infestation. Health officials reported finding live and dead pests in the kitchen, which triggered a mandatory cleanup and reinspection before the restaurant could welcome customers again. The owner says staff and procedural changes are already in motion to protect diners and earn back their trust.

Inspection timeline and records

Metro Health confirmed the restaurant was allowed to reopen on May 22 after inspectors ordered it closed on May 11, according to records reviewed by KSAT. The inspection report shows that pest-related issues accounted for roughly one-third of the violations cited, a share serious enough to prompt the temporary shutdown and required corrective steps. The Metropolitan Health District posts weekly inspection files and detailed reports on the city’s website for public review; those documents are available on the inspection reports page at City of San Antonio Metro Health.

Inspector findings and owner response

Inspection records reviewed by KSAT show inspectors documented both live and dead pests in the kitchen. Some of the dead pests were found in a soup ladle and in cooked rice, the kind of “extra ingredient” no customer signs up for. Paula, who runs the restaurant, told KSAT she "wasn't here at that day, that is why the problem happened" and said she has since hired a professional chef and implemented changes in the kitchen. KSAT visited the restaurant on June 3 to check on those fixes as the business completed its reinspection process.

What diners should know

Closures tied to pest infestations are one of the enforcement tools Metro Health uses when inspectors see conditions that pose an immediate public health hazard. Establishments in that situation must complete corrections and pass a reinspection before reopening, in line with the city’s inspection program. The grading scale used by inspectors (90–100 = A, 89–80 = B, 79 or lower = C) and the weekly inspection reports are posted on the Metropolitan Health District’s website for anyone to review at City of San Antonio Metro Health. Diners who want to check on a restaurant’s status can look up those files or turn to local reporting for the latest inspection details before they decide where to eat.