Restaurant inspections: 2 eateries closed due to repeat food violations, power outage

Two Coachella Valley restaurants were closed by Riverside County environmental health inspectors due to food temperatures and electrical issues, according to inspection reports.

Tacos Del Valle in Cathedral City has had failed inspections in the past, and when health inspectors visited the eatery this week and observed repeat food temperature violations, they shut down the facility. Tacos Del Valle will be closed until all violations have been corrected, a reinspection occurs and a new permit to operate is obtained.

Inspectors also visited Il Corso in Palm Desert for a routine inspection and complaint investigation, but the power went out. An inspection report stated the facility would be closed on July 19 and 20, but no additional information has been provided on a reinspection.

This article does not include the usual roundup of all restaurants that received "A" grades when they were visited by inspectors on July 19 through 25. The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health is in the process of transferring previous restaurant inspection reports from its old database to a new one . As a result, new reports have not been uploaded to the website since June 11.

Instead, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health will be sending weekly inspection reports to The Desert Sun until the restaurant grading site is working properly. These reports will pertain only to restaurants that were downgraded or closed by health inspectors.

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.

Facility closure

Tacos Del Valle, 68-467 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City

• Major violation: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (cooked and raw beef measuring 57-60 degrees; cooked and raw chicken measuring 50-56 degrees; cooked vegetables measuring 56 degrees; raw shelled eggs measuring 63 degrees; queso and shredded cheese measuring 56-60 degrees) | Manager stated foods were placed inside cooler more than six hours prior to inspection and was instructed to dispose of them
• Minor violations include: Hot water turned off at restroom handwashing sink; equipment and utensils in need of repairs and cleaning; personal food items stored on food preparation table; and others
• Due to ongoing failure of inspections and non-compliance, the facility's permit has been revoked and the facility has been closed until all violations listed on this report have been corrected, a reinspection occurs and a new permit to operate has been obtained

Il Corso, 73-520 El Paseo, Palm Desert

• A routine inspection and complaint investigation were attempted on this date. However, electrical power went out during the inspection
• Large generator provided by Edison was placed in the parking lot behind the facility. Operator stated that the power first went out on July 16 and returned on July 17. The generator was dropped off during that time. All the food in refrigeration units was discarded, and new food was delivered on July 17
• During the inspection, potentially hazardous food out of temperature in refrigerators was voluntarily discarded. Frozen foods were to be transported to Il Corso in Palm Springs
• Owner stated that facility would not open the rest of the day or the next (July 20). It has not been confirmed if facility has been reinspected as of Friday morning

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Restaurant inspections: 2 eateries closed due to repeat food violations, power outage