Tasti Thai closed again by state health department for roach infestation
A New Castle Thai restaurant was closed for a second time in three months after a state health inspector saw dead and live roaches throughout the eatery.
Tasti Thai at 287 Christiana Road was temporarily closed Jan. 9 by the Division of Public Health due to "imminent health hazards." It was allowed to reopen on Jan. 14 after repeat inspections.
The restaurant is now deemed a "high risk" establishment. Most restaurants are considered to be a medium risk.
A woman who answered the phone at Tasti Thai Tuesday afternoon said the restaurant had reopened, and the owner was not on site. A message left for the owner was not immediately returned.
The health department had previously ordered the restaurant closed in October after an inspector saw a "heavy presence of live, dead and baby roaches throughout the entire food establishment."
During a follow up inspection last week, an inspector saw dead roaches in different areas of the business and live roaches "coming out of food prep table and wall attached to table," a report said.
The restaurant was instructed to clean and remove "all dead roaches from the cookline, ware washing area, water heater room and dry storage area," the report said.
Management also was required to remove and replace the food prep table "since this table was targeted before with the presence of roaches," the inspector wrote.
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Tasti Thai also needed to clean the floors and walls since there was a "heavy grease buildup."
When the health inspector returned on Jan. 10, the business was ordered to remain closed because "imminent health hazards" were still present, the report said. The inspector saw multiple dead roaches by the food prep table and behind the cooking equipment.
Roaches were observed crawling on the wall by the food prep table and multiple live roaches were seen in an open drain pipe, the report said.
The inspector mandated that a pest control company be contacted and notified about the open drain pipe and conduct a "detailed inspection" to identify other entry points and then seal them, the report said.
Management was required to clean and sanitize the surfaces after the treatment, the report said.
When the health inspector returned on Jan. 11, the restaurant was once again not allowed to reopen because roaches were still found. This time they were under the food prep sink and a live roach was seen on the floor by the back door.
Records show state forced 26 businesses this year to stop serving food
Tasti Thai was allowed to reopen on Jan. 14, following another inspection by the state official. While no roaches were found, the inspector ordered the business to have a pest company visit on a weekly basis.
Cleaning documentation and pest control reports also need to be available when requested by the health department.
Tasti Thai was one of four food operations to be temporarily closed by the health department within the past week.
China Taste in Milford was closed Jan. 8 after a health inspector saw roaches in the kitchen and shrimp thawing in a bucket.
The bar of Bowlero, a bowling alley near Prices Corner, was closed on Jan. 4 after after an inspector found "paper towels with fecal matter" on the floor. It reopened on Jan. 7.
A Best Western in Bear was ordered to stop serving a breakfast buffet Jan. 8 until it had the proper food permit.
So far this year, at least five food establishments have been ordered closed by the state. Semo's, a downtown Wilmington restaurant that serves lamb gyros, was temporarily closed on Jan. 2 and reopened the next day.
Customers who want to anonymously report unsanitary conditions at Delaware food establishments and restaurants can call a consumer complaint hotline at 302-744-4736. Inspectors follow up on complaints.
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Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman. Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico.