One cockroach is all it takes.
A notice posted to the front door of La Cocina Grill on Seco Canyon and Copper Hill notified patrons that the restaurant was closed Tuesday after a health department inspection found evidence of vermin. A photo, posted to the personal page of a well known Santa Clarita real estate agent, showed the sign indicating the closure was in effect from Tuesday, September 1.
A spokesperson at the Santa Clarita District Surveillance and Enforcement office of the Los Angeles County Health Department said that violation and closure was a result of an inspector finding a single cockroach in the restaurant during an inspection on Tuesday. No other vermin were observed at the time.
Thursday afternoon, Carlos Lopez, manager for the Seco Canyon location told SCVTV’s Kris Kelso that the restaurant has completed the required steps to reopen and has taken the closure as an opportunity to make some improvements to the restaurant.
“Doors are open, kitchen is open. Any customer that has that doubt in their head please come in” Lopez said. “We’ll be more than glad to show you around the facility… the kitchen, the bar, anything you like.”
Lopez says the restaurant should be open in time for dinner Friday night.
In order to reopen, the restaurant must undergo a thorough cleaning and remediation via a pest control company to eradicate any additional presence of cockroaches or other vermin that may not have been apparent during the inspection. After a followup inspection the restaurant may be permitted to reopen.
Los Angeles County Health Department records indicate the restaurant had previously been inspected on July 15 and received a passing score of 95 with only minor infractions found. The restaurant’s second location on Bouquet Canyon was previously inspected in June and again only minor infractions were found. There was no indication of the current closure order or inspection record on the Department’s website as of Wednesday night.
Updated 9/3/15 @ 8:15am with information from the health department.
Updated 9/3/15 @ 4:35pm with information from La Cocina Management.
