DOH hands a Maui Vietnamese restaurant a red placard for major food safety violations

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A stomach churning find in the kitchen of a Maui Vietnamese restaurant led to a red placard from the Department of Health.

Health inspectors shut down the “Vietnamese Cuisine and Restaurant” in Kihei after finding a roach infestation in the kitchen. 

The Health Department says they found up to 30 live roaches in the restaurant and crawling within food. Roaches were seen in the flour, rice, and even on dishes, according to the DOH.

Adding to the violations, inspectors found that raw food was stored in the same container as cooked food, and there was no soap near a hand sink. 

Inspectors also found a severe lack of cleaning in the kitchen areas, causing a build up of food debris.

Inspectors will return to the eatery on Thursday for a follow-up inspection. The business has been closed since the red placard was given.

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