Ants and gnats at the Stars Drive-In #1 in McAllen are nothing compared to the rodent contamination an inspector finds in the kitchen.
The restaurant on 2220 Pecan Boulevard is ticketed by the health department for unsanitary conditions and hazardous foods.
Photos taken during a June inspection show gnawed bread and rodent droppings left behind.
The business is noted as smelling like a “dead animal” with a mysterious white powder also coming from the walls, according to the report.
Maggie Ledezma says the manager at the Stars has since been fired.
She’s taken over the restaurant.
Just two weeks on the job, Maggie tells the Food Patrol how she has an enormous task in front of her.
“It’s a disaster here,” the Food Patrol said. “Is the public safe to eat here?”
“Yes,” she responded. “We already took care of it.”
A restaurant in Raymondville is also busted with rodent contamination, while the health department in another city shuts down a restaurant inside the food court at La Plaza mall.
Click on the video link to see the good, the bad and the dirty dining in this week’s Food 4 Thought.
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Top Performers List
Low Performers List
Weekly Low Performer List: (total # of demerits)
McAllen
Stars 2220 Pecan Blvd (25) *Rodent Contamination, Cited by City*
Gumbos La Plaza Mall *Shutdown, Unsanitary Conditions*
Raymondville
Las Mananitas 310 W Hidalgo *Rodent Contamination, 10 Fresh Droppings*
Weekly Top Performer List: (0 demerits)
Alamo
Great China 1449 W Duranta
Subway 1449 W Duranta
SPI
Daddy’s 1808 Padre Blvd
Palmview
492 BBQ 4126 N FM 492
Sullivan City
Rick’s Tacos 400 W Exp 83
Alton
Taqueria Don Felipe #2 220 W Main
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT