‘Pink & black substance’ in ice, mouse poop on plates at Wichita KS restaurants
Moues poop on plates, cockroaches, a pink and black substance in an ice bin, filthy kitchen conditions, flies landing on food, employees who didn’t wash their hands, raw meat stored on boxes of bean sprouts 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 June 14-20.
Inspectors found few or no violations that week at more than 30 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, they’re corrected in front of an inspector. Examples of things that can be addressed immediately include 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.
Locations that fail are usually reinspected within 10 days.
The list in this report was compiled on June 24 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
Aztecas Mexican Grill, 111 N. Main in Haysville — Sixteen violations on June 16 during a routine inspection. Food including hot dogs and cooked chicken were not labeled with their preparation or package opening dates, employee didn’t wash hands after touching dirty dishes, raw shrimp was thawing without running water, multiple foods including meats and beans were not kept cold enough, pink & black substance inside ice bin, oven cleaner was stored next to clean glasses & single-use lids, soap stored next to single-use cups, accumulation of boxes & debris inside dumpster area, employee placed drink cup on cutting board, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, raw beef stored in non-food-grade to-go bags, raw eggs stored in contact with buns and cooked bacon, raw beef stored next to lettuce and in contact with cooked pork, raw chicken stored in direct contact with cooked chicken, raw beef stored inside pan of raw chicken, hand-washing sink was being used to thaw raw shrimp, sagging ceiling in kitchen, paint peeling off walls, unlabeled bottle of degreaser. Next inspection: June 26.
Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, 3141 S. Hillside in Wichita — Nine violations on June 15 during a routine inspection and one violation on June 18 during a reopening inspection. Eggs stored on floor, employee didn’t wash hands after touching glasses and face, several dead cockroaches on floor and under wok, employee washed hands at dedicated dish sink, general level of cleanliness in restaurant is poor, buildup of grease and dead pests, accumulations of grease and debris on equipment, rodent droppings next to clean drinking glasses and on clean plates, approximately 40 to 50 living cockroaches below wok, several rodent droppings in kitchen, restaurant did not stop operating and notify the Kansas Department of Agriculture of imminent health hazard of pest infestation. The restaurant voluntarily closed over the infestation. It was still out of compliance when it reopened on June 18 because an inspector saw a cockroach crawling on the wok grill. Next inspection: June 28.
El Pollo Dorado, 128 W. 21st St. in Wichita — Eight violations on June 17 during a complaint inspection. No written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, pot of beans on floor, pots of sauce were uncovered, flies contaminating food, flan and chocoflan were not labeled with vendor information, no hand-washing sink at outside food preparation area, no verifiable employee illness policy in place, barbecued chicken and shredded cheese were not kept cold enough, kitchen doors were open and letting flies in building, dozens of flies in kitchen and around other areas where food is present. Next inspection: June 27.
Jimmy’s Egg, 317 N. Rock Road in Derby — Six violations on June 16 during a complaint inspection. Employee touched face but didn’t wash her hands before plating order, ham and chorizo were not labeled with their preparation dates, old pico de gallo, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, ham and whipped topping were not labeled with the date package were opened, no soap at hand-washing sink. Next inspection: June 26.
Kan Grow Sprouts, 101 E. 31st St. South in Wichita — Four violations on June 16 during a joint inspection. Private well water for growing sprouts had not been tested this year, no paper towels at hand-washing sink, chlorine mix tested outside of the acceptable range, inadequate procedures in place and not enough active managerial control to ensure sanitary conditions of food, raw meat stored on top of boxes of bean sprouts. Next inspection: June 26.
Motel 6 & Studio 6, 5736 W. Kellogg Drive in Wichita — Three violations on June 15 during a modified complaint inspection. No evacuation diagram in guest room, stained bedsheet, hair on floor and dust along baseboards in guest room. Next inspection: June 25.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 3131 N. Rock Road in Wichita — Nine violations on June 16 during a complaint inspection. Butter by the drive-thru window had been out for several days, dirty food thermometers, disconnected sink drain, uncovered drink cups, flies in kitchen landing on surfaces that touch food, no written plan for cleaning up vomiting or diarrhea incidents, chicken tenders were not kept hot enough, buildup of food and grease on equipment and shelves, employee didn’t sanitize a pan long enough. Next inspection: June 26.
Tacos Uruapan (mobile vendor/food truck), 325 S. West St. in Wichita — Three violations on June 20 during a routine inspection. Cooked potatoes with chorizo were not kept hot enough, water for hand-washing sink was not hot enough, sliced onions were in direct contact with a bag that wasn’t food grade. Next inspection: June 30.
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.
