BBQ spot gets grilled for health code violations

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — One seafood restaurant is getting hooked up with a Top Performer sticker in this week’s Food 4 Thought.

Muelle 37 located at 511 N. Alamo Road in Alamo is this week’s Que Rico restaurant with their perfect Jan. 31 inspection report.

Jennifer Ocgueda, the manager at Muelle 37, was a little camera shy but all smiles when she saw the Top Performer sticker placed on the restaurant’s front door.

The Food Patrol slapped a sticker on the door and snapped a few photos with a promise to keep up the Food 4 Thought mission of “Keeping It Clean.”

Now it’s Que Asco! time

A BBQ spot is getting smoked by the Food Patrol after we found several issues based on their health inspection report.

Benji’s Bar-B-Que located at 816 E. Main Ave. in Alton is getting grilled based on their Feb. 15 Hidalgo County inspection report.

Violations on the report state that employees don’t have permits to serve or cook food, ketchup in a can that needs to be tossed, hand sink needs to have paper towels and there are missing prep labels.

The health department also noted the restaurant for having onions on the floor.

The BBQ restaurant owner gave the Food Patrol the green light to check out the restaurant.

The Food Patrol took notice that many of the violations from the inspection report were not fixed.

We took notice the kitchen sink is loaded with dirty pots and plates, with meat thawing underneath, making it difficult to wash hands and other dishes.

The Food Patrol also took notice of the personal food in the work fridge, risking potential cross-contamination and getting a customer sick.

An employee told the Food Patrol that the leftovers sitting on top of the charro beans belonged to the owner.

The restaurant staff we spoke with did get their permits to handle food and were reinspected earlier this month, noted for still violating food label rules.

You’re part of the Food Patrol! When you see dirty habits, please send us photos/videos and a copy of the complaint you filed to your local health department at News@KVEO.COM.