Bug poop, roach on ladle, old meat, dirty grinder at Wichita restaurants, hotel
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- State inspectors cited eight Sedgwick County food and lodging sites Oct. 26–Nov. 1.
- Inspectors recorded pest infestations, temperature breaches and poor hygiene.
- Failed operations usually face reinspection within 10 days.
Roach poop on shelves with dim sum plates, a roach on a soup ladle, food debris on a grinder, old meat, employees who didn’t wash their hands, broken and chipped equipment, missing materials and records, food storage problems and more are among violations state inspectors discovered during recent food safety and lodging inspections in the Wichita area.
Each week, The Eagle adds to its searchable database of failed inspections from Sedgwick County. Eight restaurants and other businesses were non-compliant with state regulations from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.
Inspectors found few or no violations that same week at more than 60 other locations deemed compliant with food safety and lodging rules.
Kansas Department of Agriculture inspections are meant to protect the public from foodborne illnesses and other health risks. Locations can fail if they have too many problems, certain types of violations or issues that can’t be fixed right away.
Violations are common. Most of the time, businesses correct issues in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately are serving food that’s more than a week old, employees mishandling ingredients and dirty kitchens. Issues that may take longer to correct include pest infestations, power outages and plumbing problems.
It’s rare, but a business may be temporarily shut down over violations.
Places that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.
The list in this report was compiled on Nov. 7 using information available from the state on that date. It covers Sedgwick County only.
But you can search food safety and lodging inspection results elsewhere in Kansas at https://foodsafety.kda.ks.gov/FoodSafety/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx.
Out-of-compliance inspections
Burritos Eben-Ezer (mobile vendor/food truck), 1702 S. Meridian in Wichita — Eight violations on Oct. 30 during a routine inspection. Inadequate sanitizing of utensils, cooked rice wasn’t kept hot enough, improper storage of employee medications, raw chicken held at unsafe temperature, chili rellenos held at unsafe temperature, employee failed to wash hands before handling food, non-food grade water hose used for potable water, improper thawing of raw beef at room temperature, hand-washing sink was being used to store food and equipment. Next inspection: Nov. 9.
China One, 6249 E. 21st St. in Wichita — Six violations on Oct. 30 during a routine inspection. Multiple foods including meat and vegetables weren’t kept cold enough in a refrigerated preparation table, restaurant was blending food with a power drill and paint mixing attachment that wasn’t food grade, broken and cracked scoops in flour bags, employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to make egg rolls, employee was eating at food preparation area, raw eggs stored above ready-to-eat foods. Next inspection: Nov. 9.
The Easy Egg Breakfast & Lunch, 3520 N. Maize Road in Wichita — Ten violations on Oct. 29 during its first operational inspection after licensing. Menu missing proper disclosure for raw or undercooked items, salsa was not labeled with its preparation date, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, no written procedures dictating how some foods are handled, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting and diarrhea incidents, chipotle sauce wasn’t kept hot enough, liquid egg and pancake batter were not labeled with the time they were removed from refrigeration, employee didn’t wash hands between handling raw eggs and ready-to-eat food, turkey bacon and sausage links weren’t labeled with the date their packages were opened, old chipotle mayo. Next inspection: Nov. 8.
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Wichita Downtown, 525 S. Main in Wichita — Three violations on Oct. 30 during a complaint inspection. Failure to notify regulatory authority of water line break which is an imminent health hazard, non-functioning emergency lighting in multiple hallways and rooms, unlabeled chemical spray bottle. Next inspection: Nov. 9.
Sierra Hills Golf Club, 13420 E. Pawnee in Wichita — Four violations on Oct. 30 during a routine inspection. No written plan for cleaning up vomiting and diarrhea incidents, no chlorine sanitizer test strips, hot dogs were labeled with the wrong package opening date, old Polish dogs. Next inspection: Nov. 9.
Taco Fajita Restaurant, 1006 S. Meridian in Wichita — Six violations on Oct. 28 during a routine inspection. Cooked rice wasn’t cold enough in refrigeration, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, restaurant was using lavender scented bleach instead of unscented bleach for sanitizing, unlabeled chemical spray bottle, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting and diarrheal incidents, rice wasn’t hot enough in steam unit. Next inspection: Nov. 8.
Tom’s Lotus Garden, 822 S. Broadway in Wichita — Five violations on Oct. 28 during an inspection that was a follow-up to an administrative order. Live cockroach on soup ladle, dead cockroaches throughout restaurant including on kitchen floor and storage room, cockroach feces on wooden shelves that hold dim sum plates, live roaches in glue trap, dead roaches inside clean metal pot, roach egg sack on table with clean glasses, restaurant was using insecticide that isn’t rated for use in a kitchen. Next inspection: Dec. 28.
Tortilleria y Paleteria El Guero, 3750 W. Douglas in Wichita — Twelve violations on Oct. 30 during a routine inspection. Non-food grade container used to store dry chilis, no sanitizer test strips, food debris on grinder auger, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, chemicals stored above butcher paper and seasonings, raw eggs stored above ready-to-eat salsa, raw beef stored above cooked pork skins, improper storage of raw chicken wings next to raw beef, undated open package of ham, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting and diarrheal incidents, cream and fruit cups weren’t labeled with their preparation dates, missing thermometer, no soap at hand-washing sinks. Next inspection: Nov. 9.
Where to complain
If you see problems at a food or lodging establishment, you can file a complaint.
To notify the state about unsavory or questionable conditions anywhere that serves or sells food to the public, email kda.fsl@ks.gov or call 785-564-6767. You can also file a complaint at www.foodsafetykansas.org.
To report an illness you think was caused by a restaurant, food or event where food was served, contact the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317 or www.foodsafetykansas.org.
Complaints about conditions at hotels and motels can be submitted at www.agriculture.ks.gov/public-resources/comments-complaints/lodging-complaint.
For more information about foodborne illnesses, visit www.foodsafety.gov.
Note: Sometimes addresses listed — especially for mobile vendors and food trucks — are not where food is actually served to the public. Contact those establishments directly for specific service locations.
The violation summaries were compiled and drafted with the help of AI tools. They were fact-checked for accuracy and edited by Wichita Eagle journalists.
