Restaurant inspections: Black mold found on soda, ice machines in Palm Desert eatery

A number of Coachella Valley businesses received "B" and "C" grades this past week, including one for black mold growth observed in its soda fountain and ice machines, according to reports.

Dina Tea, Fisherman's Market & Grill and a restaurant at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert were both downgraded by Riverside County health inspectors for a number of violations, including improper ware washing procedures and hot and cold food holding temperatures, among others. Both will be revisited by inspectors.

A few other Coachella Valley locations did not pass their inspections, including Da Chef Noodle in Bermuda Dunes and Taco Mark in Coachella.

Here are the restaurants that were inspected in the Coachella Valley Jan. 3 through 10:

'C' grades

Da Chef Noodle, 40-100 Washington St., Suite 141, Bermuda Dunes

Major violation: Observed employee who was handling raw chicken walk away from the prep table and touch the handle of a stove pot, the handle of the stove oven and the door of a cooler and grab an open bag of noodles with the same hands (noodles were voluntarily discarded at the time of inspection); person in charge left the facility, came back and touched shredded beef with their bare hands (bowl of beef was voluntarily discarded at the time of inspection); cook touched their nose with the back of their hand, proceeded to use cooking utensils and then wash their hands

Major violation: Improper cooling method used for rice noodles

Major violation: Facility did not have any scent-free chlorine sanitizer on site

Major violation: At the start of inspection, the back hand wash sink and the kitchen hand wash sink were leaking

Minor violations: No food manager certificate; hand wash sink did not have paper towels; instances of lack of food separation and possible contamination (several non-potentially hazardous food items double stacked on one another; knives stored wedged between prep cooler and prep table; tongs hanging from the tandoori oven and stove top oven; strainer hanging at fire suppression system; cutting board stored wedged behind faucet); equipment and utensils in need of cleaning and repair; and others

"C" card posted. Due to repeated failed inspections within a two-year period, an Administrative Hearing will be held

Taco Mark, 49-613 Cesar Chavez St., Coachella

Major violation: Observed an employee come from the outside with gloves. They changed their gloves but did not wash hands prior to putting on the gloves, then proceeded to prepare food items. Employee then washed hands at wrong sink

Minor violations: No food manager's certificate available; no paper towels or soap in public or employee restrooms; water did not reach proper temperature in hand wash sinks; floor drain clogged; several flies in the kitchen; rodent feces in the back storage rooms and on unused equipment and a mouse snap trap on top of a prep table; instances of improper food separation and possible contamination (several foods uncovered in freezer, cooler and refrigerators; raw meat stored next to salsa and raw fries; three Home Depot buckets of food stored on the floor; dark water being used for the steam table to keep foods warm); and others

"C" card placed and a reinspection has been set

'B' grades

Ding Tea, 74-998 Country Club Drive, Suite 220, Palm Desert

Major violation: When questioned on ware washing procedures, the operator stated that dishes are washed with soap and water. When questioned about sanitizer, the operator stated that sanitizer is only used for the sanitizer bucket

Minor violations: No food managers card onsite; the back hand sink holding dishes that were drying; improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (half & half measuring 46 degrees); no labels stating when boba balls were cooked and how long they were sitting out at room temperature; water in bathroom did not reach at least 100 degrees; one dead grasshopper in the additional storage room; no designated person in charge at the beginning of the inspection; instances of improper food separation and possible contamination (no splashguard at the dump sink in the front service area; ice bin in the front service area had no overhead protection; flavor powder near the lid station was uncovered; jelly boba in the two-door refrigeration unit uncovered; open bulk sugar on the lower shelf of the kitchen prep table; various food and food-related items (sugar, fructose syrup, chopsticks, deli cups) in the additional storage room stored directly on the floor; food items stored below the employee hanging aprons; stirring spoons sitting in stagnant water); and others

"B" card posted and reinspection date has been set

Fisherman's Market & Grill, 44-250 Town Center Way, Suite C-2, Palm Desert

Major violation: Observed ice machine with heavy black mold growth inside the inner parts and surfaces of ice machine. Soda fountain spigots at bar area with black mold growth on inner portion of spigot and along the spout

Major violation: Observed reach-in preparation cooler measuring internal foods between 48-50 degrees. Unit red tagged.

Minor violations: Expired food manager certification; bar area dishwasher had empty sanitizer solution; cooked vacuum-packed chicken was taken out of freezer and measured 75 degrees within 15 minutes, but employee could not answer how it dethawed so quickly; many sanitizing rags sitting on counters when not in use; cleaning in need of cleaning; two employees with expired food handler cards.

"B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa (restaurant not specified), 74-855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert

Major violation: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (calamari, cooked chicken, pasta sauce, shredded bacon, salsa, cantaloupe and honey dew measuring 43-44 degrees | all were voluntary discarded; a cart of full of bacon and sausages measuring 44 degrees; bacon and sausages measuring 117 degrees under a heat lamp; cooked rice measuring 113 degrees in the hot box; salmon, cheese and turkey meat measuring 47 degrees at the buffet line).

Minor violations: Hand wash sinks blocked by rolling carts and no soap dispensing in the bar area; instances of improper food separation and possible contamination (several foods uncovered throughout the refrigeration units and walk-ins; several lemons/limes stored in the three-compartment sink at the bar area); equipment and utensils in need of cleaning and repair; and others.

"B" card posted and a reinspection date has been set.

'A' grades

An “A” grade, or a score of 90 to 100 points, means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards.

Cathedral City

Cardenas Markets, 31-655 Date Palm Drive

Juan Pollo, 69-160 Ramon Road

Coachella

Santos Ice Cream, 1590 6th St.

Indian Wells

Desert Horizons Country Club (clubhouse and grill room), 44-900 Horizons Drive

Indio

Winco Foods (food market, deli, etc.), 42-600 Jackson St.

Ono Hawaiian BBQ, 42-560 Jackson St.

The Big Easy Sandwich (food truck, no location noted)

La Michoacana y Mas (food truck, no location noted)

La Quinta

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 45-305 Seeley Drive

Cafe Eisenhower, 45-280 Seeley Drive

Happy Tea Cafe, 78-742 Highway 111, Suite C

Dunkin', 79-670 Highway 111

Palm Desert

Suncrest Country Club, 73-450 Country Club Drive

Circle K, 75-000 Gerald Ford Drive

Palm Springs

Parker Palm Springs (restaurants, lemonade stand), 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive

Exotic Dreams Resort Hotel, 526 S. Warm Sands Drive

Rancho Mirage

Sensei Porcupine Creek, 42-765 Dunes View Road

Note: No restaurant inspections were reported for businesses in the city of Desert Hot Springs for the week of Jan. 3 through 10.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or on Twitter u/ema_sasic