More festivalgoers will be in the area this weekend for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which means many hungry bellies. Among the several restaurants they can choose from, many that were visited by health inspectors this week passed their health inspections, while two scored "B" or "C" grades, according to reports conducted April 11 through 18.
Tacos Del Valle in Cathedral City scored a "C" grade and was briefly closed due to no warewashing facilities available. However, the restaurant reopened on April 12, but a reinspection report was not available as of Thursday. The Daily Grill in Palm Desert also scored a "B" during its recent inspection due to a number of minor violations.
Major violations pose an imminent risk to public health and warrant the immediate closure of a food facility or immediate correction, while minor violations do not pose an imminent public health risk, but do warrant correction.
2 major violations, 31 points deducted
Tacos Del Valle, 68-467 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City
- Major violation: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (a pot of cooked rice measuring 115.3 degrees; a container of cooked carne asada measuring 83 degrees; two containers of salsa measuring between 68-70 degrees; an open can of condensed milk measuring 76 degrees; containers of cooked chicken, cooked beef, cooked pork, salsa, cream cheese, sour cream, nacho cheese, shredded cheese, beef broth and strawberry syrup measuring between 56-68 degrees) | Items were either moved for proper cooling or discarded
- Major violation: Drug paraphernalia stored on food preparation table with juicer and NutriBullet near three-compartment sink, inside a plastic bin and on a plastic tray at 3-compartment sink. Three-compartment sink filled with clothing, equipment and other items | Due to no warewashing facilities being available, facility was closed
- Other minor violations include: No food manager certificate available at time of inspection; employee rinsed hands at wrong sink; empty soap and paper towel dispensers at handwashing sink and restroom sink, various items stored inside handwashing sink and signs and equipment blocking handwashing sink inside restroom; multiple flies throughout facility and two inside two-door cooler; front entry door propped open at beginning of inspection and nonfunctional air curtain at rear exit door; instances of improper food separation and possible contamination (strainer filled with various condiment bottles stored directly inside a container of sliced oranges and carrots in water; open bag of sugar stored on food preparation table near food preparation sink; open can of nacho cheese stored inside cooler; old/dried out onion stored inside a container on food preparation table; raw shell eggs stored above multiple containers of cooked chicken and pork inside cooler; multiple containers of cooked chicken, cooked pork, cooked beef and salsa stored below other food items inside cooler; a bag of potatoes stored on drainboard of food preparation sink with an accumulation of unclean equipment); no food handler cards available on site and many more
- "C" card posted and facility was closed, but later reopened on April 12. Due to repeated failed inspections within a two-year period, an administrative hearing will be held in Palm Springs, CA at a scheduled date and time to follow
0 major violations, 20 points deducted
The Daily Grill, 73-061 El Paseo, Palm Desert
- Minor violations include: Invalid food manager certificate; ice inside the bin of the handwashing sink at the bar, metal containers inside the handwashing sink bin next to the pie oven and empty mounted paper towel dispenser in the women's restroom; cooked broccoli and cooked asparagus measuring between 107-110 degrees; clean spoons were observed with food residue stored above the hot soups, spoon holders were observed with food debris, food residue on clean bamboo trays stored in the kitchen salad area, food accumulation on the piercing part of the tabletop can opener next to the three-compartment sink and clean plates at the cook line to have food debris; observed one dead American co*ckroach under the three-compartment sink next to the back delivery door and one dead American co*ckroach in the clean linen storage room; instances of improper food separation and possible contamination (covered food containers stored underneath evaporation trays full of water; rust buildup, grease buildup and food debris observed on equipment with uncovered food containers stored underneath); dishwasher not dispensing proper sanitization concentration and evaporation trays inside refrigeration units had an excess of water accumulation; utensils and equipment in need of cleaning; and many more
- "B" card posted. Operator has a minimum of one week to comply unless otherwise stated
Grade A restaurants
An “A” grade, or a score of 90 to 100 points, means a restaurant passed an inspection and met minimum health standards.
Cathedral City
- Five03 Pupusas, 69-185 Ramon Road, Suite D3
- Gigi's Crepes, Waffles & Juices, 68-030 Vista Chino, Suite D104
- Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, 69-050 Vista Chino
- El Revolucionario Mexican Food, 35-915 Date Palm Drive, Suite C1 (passed reinspection)
- Subway, 69-060 Vista Chino
- Taco Bell, 31-705 Date Palm Drive
- Tea Momo Tea Shoppe, 35877 Date Palm Drive
- Baskin Robbins, 31-375 Date Palm Drive
- McDonald's, 31-545 Date Palm Drive
Coachella
- Andy's Burgers, 49-950 Highway 111 (passed reinspection)
Desert Hot Springs
- Azure Palm Cafe, 67-589 Hacienda Ave.
- Dominos Pizza, 13-900 Palm Drive
- KFC, 13-947 Palm Drive
- Taco Bell, 12-975 Palm Drive
Indio
- Sushi Kitto, 42-250 Jackson St., Suite B101
- El Pollo Loco, 42-223 Jackson St.
- Mi Tierra Bakery, 45-228 Oasis St.
La Quinta
- Jimmy John's, 79-845 Highway 111, Suite 102
- Starbucks, 79-845 Highway 111, Suite 104
- Tutti Frutti La Quinta, 79-845 Highway 111, Suite 103 (reopened and passed reinspection)
Palm Desert
- Beach House Frozen Yogurt, 72-363 Highway 111, Suite A2A
- Sottovoce Cafe, 73-575 El Paseo Drive, Suite 1320 (passed reinspection)
- Little Caesars Pizza, 73-910 Highway 111, Suite K (passed reinspection)
Palm Springs
- Felipe's Cafe, 400 S. El Cielo Road, Suite A
- Jack in the Box, 694 S. Palm Canyon Drive
- The Rowan (includes 4 Saint Kitchen & Bar, pool bar, etc.), 100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way
- La Perlita, 901 Crossley Road
- El Tacolgado, 231 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
- Billy Reed's, 1800 N. Palm Canyon Drive
- Sol Agave, 262 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 100 (passed reinspection)
Rancho Mirage
- Tamarisk Country Club, 70-240 Frank Sinatra Drive
- Francesco's Cafe, 72-047 Dinah Shore Drive, Suite C1-2 (reopened facility)
- Sushi On The Run, 40-101 Monterey Ave., Suite G2
Note:No restaurant inspections were reported for the week of April 11 through 18 in Indian Wells.
This weekly report was compiled using restaurant grading reports from theRiverside County Department of Environmental Health, accessible atrestaurantgrading.rivcoeh.org/Default.aspx
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
