Popular Pasadena Mexican Restaurant Reopens After 5-Day Health Dept. Closure

The City’s Department of Public Health has allowed Amigo’s Mexican Restaurant at 1076 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena to reopen and continue operation Monday after a five-day closure.

Amigo’s’ permit to operate was reinstated after an inspection was conducted Monday at the owner’s request to verify compliance with Health Department standards. The inspection was the second after the facility was closed last week when inspectors found a series of major violations against the California Health Code.

The first routine inspection on May 4, 2016 resulted to a grade of 57 for the facility, down from a rating of 88 during its last inspection in February, and an order to temporarily close because of the health code violations.

The inspection noted cockroaches were present in several areas in the kitchen, and saw improper cleanliness practices by staff.

“Observed live and dead cockroaches on the wall behind ware wash sink and on the floor under food prep sink, mop sink and under the bar counter,” the inspection report said.

The report also noted the operator was “unable to provide previous pest control invoices at the time of the inspection.”

The inspectors also listed “improper handwashing practices” among employees, and mentioned one instance when one employee picked up dead cockroaches with a paper towel and then rinsed her hands and the paper towel inside the food preparation sink, instead of using the hand wash sink.

The inspection made a number of other recommendations and corrective measures during that first inspection, but when they came back on May 5 for a follow-up inspection, they still saw cockroaches in sensitive areas of the facility, among other violations, and ordered Amigo’s to remain closed. The restaurant was given a rating of 63 in this inspection.

When inspectors came back at the owner’s request on Monday, they saw all of the major violations have been corrected, and recent pest control invoices were now available, resulting in an order to reopen and reinstatement of the health permit for the facility.

“Observed all the major violations to be corrected at the time of re-inspection,” said the inspection report. “Health permit was reinstated on this date.”

Rachel Janbek, Acting Environmental Health Division Manager, confirmed the permit reinstatement for May 9.
The restaurant was given a 95 Pass rating after the inspection.