Health Department Report on Larchmont Bungalow
LA County’s Department of Public Health has documented at least four reports of food poisoning at the Larchmont Bungalow. These were all filed in March 2011.
The initial tip about six people experiencing food poisoning after eating eggs at Larchmont Bungalow was first posted on Yelp on March 1st, but was not forwarded to the health department until the following week. County files show that reports of four separate cases were made on 3/9, 3/11, 3/15 and 3/16.
A specialist on food-borne illnesses made her first visit to Larchmont Bungalow on March 23rd. She made a thorough inspection and, as expected, found that the boxes in which the eggs had come in had already been thrown out.
She did observe several violations on site on March 23rd, including the fact that “pooled shelled eggs” were being stored “directly on top of cooked ready-to-eat foods.”
Below are the notes that are formally part of her report, which she wrote on the afternoon of March 23rd when she made her inspection.
VIOLATIONS: ITEMS OUT OF COMPLIANCE
1. Holding potentially hazardous foods at improper temperatures.
6. Allowing food preparer with bandaged finger, semi-healed blister to prepare food.
23. Storing pooled shelled eggs directly on top of cooked ready-to-eat foods.
49. Storing food trays on top of trash can.
50. Using wet towel instead of rubber mat under cutting board.
63. Filter under hood does not cover vent system.
The specialist noted that the Larchmont Bungalow’s kitchen was remarkably small. She did not write down point deductions for this particular inspection because grading is the responsibility of another health-department division, which last sent an inspector in October 2010.
Note that the 3/23/2011 inspection was NOT a routine inspection but was made in response to filed reports of food poisoning.
The form that the investigator used on 3/23/2011 does have the same format, items, and violation codes as a routine health inspection report used for grading. The violations are as follows:
SECTION ONE (6 Points Each)
Food Temperatures
1. Holding of PHF – Multiple Servings – Major
Employee Health
6. Disease Transmission – Carrier / Wound – Major
SECTION TWO (4 Points Each)
Food Storage
23. Ready to Eat Food – Exposed to Possible Contamination
SECTION THREE (1 Point Each)
Utensils / Equipment
49. Storage
50. Unapproved Type / Improper Use / Improper Installation
Ventilation
63. Hood – Not Clean / Disrepair / Missing Filters
A 90 – 100
B 80 – 89
C 70 – 79
You can request a copy of this report by calling the health department at (626) 430-5400.
More information will be added to this page as documents are released by the County into the public domain. Short url: https://larchmontla.com/LB
If you have any questions about the convoluted process of obtaining that report directly from the health department, send an email to [email protected]