A Collierville Thai restaurant that scored a perfect 100 on its health inspection just months ago has been ordered closed after inspectors found live cockroaches crawling among the food. Bangkok Alley failed its October 29 inspection with a score of 64, and owner Ed Cabigao says his staff is now scrambling to clean up before health officials come back to check their work.
Inspectors found live cockroaches among cucumbers, fish, eggs, mushrooms and other toppings inside a food-preparation cooler, according to FOX13 Memphis. The same inspection also turned up dead cockroaches on walls throughout the restaurant, along with dirty kitchen equipment, food buildup and excessive dust. Health inspectors documented multiple violations tied to food safety, cleanliness and pest activity, and the restaurant was ordered to remain closed as a result.
Beyond the pest problems, inspectors also found food sitting at 68 degrees Fahrenheit — squarely inside what food-safety officials call the temperature danger zone, the range where bacteria multiply fastest. That finding, paired with the live insects found directly in prepped ingredients, pushed the restaurant's score well below passing.
A Steep Drop From a Perfect Score
The failing grade marks a dramatic reversal for Bangkok Alley, which has operated as a Thai restaurant in Collierville for more than two decades and has been run by the Cabigao Restaurant Group since 2023. The restaurant posted a score of 91 in April and then a perfect 100 in June, according to the same FOX13 Memphis report, making October's score of 64 a sharp decline in a matter of months.
Cabigao, who owns the restaurant, acknowledged the violations and said his team is working to correct the problems before reopening. He said he believes the pest issue developed over a relatively short period of time, and he suggested the trouble may have started after someone moved a grease bin closer to the restaurant's back door — a detail he offered as a possible explanation rather than a confirmed cause.
Owner Says Response Should Have Come Sooner
Cabigao told the station that once staff discovered pest activity in the kitchen, management called its pest control company, but he said he wished the response had come sooner. He also acknowledged that his team could have taken more proactive steps to prevent the violations in the first place.
The restaurant is now undergoing extensive cleaning while it remains closed, and Bangkok Alley is paying the employees who are helping with that effort, per the FOX13 Memphis report. Cabigao said he hopes the restaurant's response will help restore customer confidence once it reopens.
What Happens Next
Bangkok Alley must correct every documented violation before it can reopen, and the health department is expected to return for another inspection on Monday. FOX13 Memphis has said it will continue monitoring the restaurant's inspection status and provide updates once results come in.
Restaurant inspection scores across Tennessee are maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health. Other Collierville restaurants have drawn their own violations in recent inspection cycles — a listing on S. Houston Levee Road was cited for an expired permit and prep-cooler temperatures between 45 and 54 degrees, according to a report from wreg.com. A separate wreg.com roundup covering late October also noted a roach spotted on a wall above a dish-machine area at a different area establishment.
