On Tuesday, the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department shut down three restaurants near Coronado Mall – Keva Juice, Panda Express, and Sbarro. The reasons for the closures were live and dead cockroaches, evidence of rodent infestation, improper use of hair nets, and holes in walls among other issues. Longhorn Steakhouse was inspected on Wednesday and Cheesecake Factory on Thursday.
Keva Juice, Panda Express, and Sbarro have since reopened while Longhorn Steakhouse remains closed. Alan McLean, the general manager of Cheese and Coffee Cafe near the mall expressed surprise at some of the well-known chain restaurants being shut down. He emphasized the importance of taking care of products and ensuring that food temperature is maintained properly along with proper labeling during health inspections.
McLean highlighted that his family’s business has been part of the community for 20 years and they are familiar with health inspections. He noted that cleanliness throughout the day is also crucial to ensure everything is constantly checked and cleaned to meet specific temperature requirements for hot products and items in walk-in coolers that must be properly marked and dated.
