WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors documented evidence of mice at a West Chester child care center, unsafe food temperatures at several restaurants and restrictions on the sale of improperly documented baked goods during inspections conducted October 20, according to county health department records.
Seven food facilities received violation reports, including a follow-up inspection at one restaurant. Inspectors also listed 10 establishments as in compliance.
The findings covered restaurants, a child care center and other food businesses in West Chester, Avondale and Kennett Square.
KinderCare Learning Center — West Chester
At KinderCare Learning Center, 102 Paddock Lane, inspectors found mouse droppings inside kitchen cabinets and open snap traps that could contaminate food, equipment, or utensils.
The health department directed the facility to arrange weekly service by a certified pest control operator until mouse activity is eliminated and to submit service reports to the county.
Inspectors also required the center to remove the open traps, maintain sanitary food storage, clean kitchen cabinets and floors, and separate employees’ personal food from food intended for children.
The facility was also cited for lacking a certified food manager. The county directed an employee to complete approved food safety training and obtain the required certification.
La Nueva Plazita — Avondale
La Nueva Plazita LLC, 525 Gap Newport Pike, received 15 violations involving food handling, sanitation, employee practices and facility maintenance.
Inspectors found beef thawing at room temperature, an unapproved method under Pennsylvania’s food safety regulations. The meat was mostly frozen and was returned to the freezer.
The establishment was also prohibited from selling baked goods supplied by Dolce Pecccato until it provides documentation establishing that the products came from an approved, inspected source.
Inspectors additionally found the baked goods lacked required labeling, including ingredient lists and allergen declarations.
A repeat violation involved the reuse of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie containers for food storage. The county directed the business to discard single-use containers and replace them with food-grade alternatives.
Other findings included an employee’s uncovered beverage and partially consumed food in preparation areas, utensils stored in a handwashing sink, an improperly stored telephone, onions placed on the floor, and an exterior door left open.
Inspectors also cited inadequate food safety knowledge by the designated person in charge, missing floor tiles, an empty restroom paper towel dispenser, and cleaning deficiencies.
Several items were corrected during the inspection, including removing food and utensils from improper locations.
Oriental Pearl Restaurant — West Chester
Oriental Pearl Restaurant, 1550 Paoli Pike, received 13 violations involving food temperatures, seafood handling, sanitation, and equipment.
Inspectors found tofu held at 45 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the required maximum of 41 degrees. The ice bath was adjusted during the inspection.
Tuna was also observed thawing inside reduced-oxygen packaging without opening the packages as required before thawing.
The restaurant could not produce records documenting that raw or partially cooked ready-to-eat fish had undergone the required freezing process for parasite destruction. Inspectors directed the establishment to obtain documentation from its suppliers.
Additional violations included improperly reused food containers, unlabeled ingredients, missing refrigeration thermometers, and a sanitizing solution below the required chlorine concentration.
The sanitizer was adjusted to the required concentration during the inspection, and several improperly stored items were removed or corrected.
Sedona Mexican Cuisine — Avondale
Sedona Mexican Cuisine, 525 Gap Newport Pike, received four violations, including improper hot holding of prepared foods.
Inspectors found refried beans at temperatures ranging from 88 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit after reportedly being held in a steam table for at least two hours. The beans were discarded.
Salsa verde was measured between 108 and 110 degrees, below the required hot-holding temperature of 135 degrees. The product was reheated to 165 degrees and returned to the steam table at an acceptable temperature.
Inspectors also found that the food trailer’s handwashing sink initially lacked running water because its pump was switched off. Hot water became available after the pump was activated.
The county directed the business to repair or replace the water pump and stop using ordinary plastic grocery bags as liners for hot-holding pans.
Taqueria Moroleon Restaurant — Avondale
A follow-up inspection at Taqueria Moroleon Restaurant, 9173 Gap Newport Pike, found that a previously identified dishwasher problem remained unresolved.
The bar dishwasher had not been repaired to deliver the required chlorine sanitizer concentration during its final rinse.
Inspectors instructed the restaurant to use its three-compartment sink until the dishwasher is repaired and to contact the health department once the equipment has been serviced.
Two Stones Pub — Kennett Square
Two Stones Pub, 843 E. Baltimore Pike, received eight violations, including improper cooling of cooked chicken.
Inspectors found chicken cooling at room temperature with internal temperatures ranging from 93 to 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The chicken was discarded during the inspection.
Chicken wings placed in deep containers inside refrigeration equipment were also found to be cooling improperly. Employees transferred the wings to sheet trays to promote faster cooling.
Other violations included raw fish stored where contamination could occur, a blocked handwashing sink, inadequate sanitizer concentration in a three-compartment sink, and deeply scored cutting boards.
Inspectors also identified a household-style rice cooker being used to hold rice hot, an improperly designed insect-control device, and a floor requiring cleaning.
Several problems were corrected during the inspection, including relocating the fish, removing the obstructing pan and damaged cutting boards, and transferring the rice to commercial hot-holding equipment.
Facilities Listed in Compliance
The Chester County Health Department listed the following 10 facilities as in compliance in its October 20 inspection records:
- ACME Markets #730 / London Grove — 851 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale
- Chartwells at North Coventry Elementary School — 475 Kemp Road, Pottstown
- Child Career and Development Center Great Valley — 40 Moores Road, Malvern
- Feeding Frenzy — 75 E. Uwchlan Avenue, Suite 128, Exton
- Gia Bella Catering — 514 McCue Road, Avondale
- Honey Brook Elementary School — 1530 Walnut Road, Honey Brook
- LongHorn Steakhouse #5249 / North Coventry — 1110 Towne Square Road, Pottstown
- Saladworks & Frutta Bowls — 1353 Dilworthtown Road, West Chester
- The Phoenix Center — 833 S. Main Street, Phoenixville
- Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School — 801 Conestoga Road, Berwyn
The health department cautions that inspection findings represent conditions observed at a specific date and time and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term food safety practices.
Residents who observe potentially unsafe food handling or unsanitary conditions can submit a confidential environmental health complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843.
Anyone who becomes ill after eating at a food establishment should contact the Chester County Health Department directly at 610-344-6225 rather than using the online complaint form.
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