Restaurant inspections: Rat droppings close Rancho Mirage eatery; Palm Springs spot reopens

Riverside County health inspectors closed down one Rancho Mirage restaurant due to rodent droppings and overflowing sewage, while two Indio spots were downgraded to "B" grades, according to inspection reports.

Several rat droppings were found inside a fryer at Catalan Mediterranean Restaurant in Rancho Mirage, along with sewage overflowing from the floor sink, leading to its closure. The eatery will be able to reopen once both issues have been cleaned up/repaired.

Additionally, Macario's Grill and Soul of Mexico in Indio scored "B" grades during their inspections due to improper hot and cold food holding temperatures, issues with handwashing, lack of food separation and other issues. Both will have an opportunity to raise their scores when they're revisited by health inspectors.

Lulu California Bistro in Palm Springs was closed earlier in the week due to a cockroach infestation. The restaurant was reopened Thursday when inspectors revisited the facility and did not observe any live vermin activity.

This article does not include the usual roundup of all restaurants that received "A" grades when they were visited by inspectors on July 5 through 11. 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

Catalan Mediterranean Restaurant, 70-026 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage

• Major violation: Observed 20-30 rodent droppings inside the fryer at the cook line
• Major violation: Observed sewage overflowing from the floor sink within the facility
• "Facility closed" sign posted and a reinspection has been scheduled for July 18 or when the county is contacted for a reinspection (It has not been confirmed if facility has been reinspected as of Friday afternoon)

'B' grades

Macario's Grill, 82-347 Highway 111, Suite B, Indio

• Minor violations include : Issues with handwashing (observed food handling employee rinse hands at the cook line hand washing sink, with gloves still on his hands; observed employee dip his hands into the three-compartment sink sanitizer solution instead of washing hands); paper towel dispensers empty at two handwashing sinks; oyster tags prior to April 4 and after May 31 to be missing; multiple dead crickets inside multiple floor sinks around the facility; lack of food separation and possible contamination (a piece of wrapped candy stored inside the ice bin at the soda machine; cut avocado and onions stored with whole avocado, tomato and jalapeño pepper); utensils and equipment in need of repairs and cleaning; several wet, soiled towels on counter spaces around the kitchen; and others
• "B" card posted and a reinspection date of July 25 has been set

Soul of Mexico, 44-100 Jefferson St., Suite E502, Indio

• Minor violations include: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (cooked chicken measuring 45 degrees; multiple metal containers of raw beef measuring 48 degrees; two metal containers of raw chicken measuring 47-52 degrees; multiple containers of raw fish and other seafood); multiple flies (both live and dead) were observed inside the uncooked rice bin; sauce squeeze bottles stored inside the cut onions and bell peppers metal insert in the flip top cooler and bins of chips stored uncovered underneath the steam table; raw fish stored in grocery bag inside chest freezer, large sack of onions stored directly on the floor outside of the walk-in cooler and clutter in various food storage areas; utensils and equipment in need of repairs and cleaning; drain pipes need repairs; and others
• "B" card posted and a reinspection date of July 19 has been set

Facility reopening

Lulu California Bistro, 200 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

• The restaurant was previously closed on Tuesday due to a cockroach infestation. During a reinspection on Thursday, no live cockroach activity was observed within the facility
• Minor violations during reinspection: Lack of food separation and possible contamination (raw calamari stored on a shelf above ready-to-eat roast in walk-in refrigerator; cases of foods stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer); utensils and equipment in need of repairs
• "Facility Closed" sign removed and "A" card posted

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: Rat droppings close Rancho Mirage eatery; Palm Springs spot reopens