Beth Nakamura/staff

Restaurant inspectors are required to drop by unannounced at each of Multnomah County’s 3,500 restaurants, 900 food carts and other food-serving venues at least twice a year. All told, that adds up to about 15,000 inspections annually. Typically, a few dozen receive failing scores each year.

, we've sorted through Multnomah County's 2019 reports through June. Below, find the 14 brick-and-mortar restaurants that failed their semiannual inspection with a score lower than 70 out of 100 so far this year, plus their re-inspection scores (where available). The 15th restaurant is included on this list because it failed in mid-December and required repeated re-inspections.

Food carts are not currently assigned scores, though seven downtown Portland food carts did receive “failed to comply” notices in 2019: Turkish Cuisine, Tikky’s Curry, El Masry, Los Jefes, Taqueria Villanueva 2, Shawarma Express (on Alder) and Pho Le, as well as the South Waterfront’s Rip City Grill. Two businesses that received failing inspections in 2019 have since closed, the Pizza Schmizza at 512 S.W. Taylor St. and VN Urban bubble tea cafe and banh mi shop at 2137 E. Burnside St.

Noteworthy 2019 scores include a 51 (out of 100) for Andina, a popular Pearl District Peruvian restaurant that previously made headlines after sickening dozens of people with norovirus in 2013; South Park Blocks Japanese restaurant Shigezo, which was given a 52 score in late 2018 and has required re-inspections monthly since; and downtown Portland’s McMenamins Zeus Cafe at the Crystal Hotel, which received the lowest score of the past year in February: a 43.

The restaurants on the list were invited to comment about their failed inspections. Only a few replied to our emails and telephone calls. Their comments are noted below.

Restaurants are listed by score, highest to lowest.

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NEW THAI BLUES RESTAURANT

The restaurant: A Thai standby with colorful decor at 4147 S.E. Division St., just east of Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard.

Inspected on: Jan. 25, 2019

Score: 66

Notes include: Noodles held at improper temperature, no hot water in hand-washing sink; thermometer not readily available for checking food temperatures; a pitcher blocked access to handwashing sink on the cookline; small flies spotted in back kitchen.

Follow-up inspection(s):

Feb. 21 (score: 81,

)

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CHINA GARDEN BUFFET

The restaurant: An all-you-care-to-eat Chinese buffet at 2059 N.E. Burnside Road in Gresham

Inspected on: March 8, 2019

Score: 65

Notes include: Several employees failed to wash hands before beginning work, potentially hazardous foods not maintained at proper temperatures (including ribs, salmon, cooked shrimp and soup kept overnight on counter at 56-60 degrees), food not properly protected from cross contamination (raw chicken stored over salmon) shellfish tags are improperly maintained, meat cleavers hung soiled, frozen chicken thawing in food sink overnight.

Follow-up inspection(s):

March 20, 2019 (not scored,

)

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TURKEY PLACE

The restaurant: A turkey-focused cafe and deli at 1234 S.W. Second Ave.

Inspected on: June 5, 2019

Score: 65

Notes include: Raw or ready-to-eat foods not properly protected from cross contamination, including a whole raw turkey on a sheet pan lying on raw bacon; potentially hazardous foods not maintained at proper temperatures including cottage cheese at 50 degrees, potato salad at 54 degrees and cooked chicken in packaged to-go salad at 80 degrees; grab-and-go salads and cookies improperly labeled; stored slicer with dried food debris on blade guard.

Follow up inspection(s):

June 7, 2019 (score: 83,

)

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KOJI OSAKAYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

The restaurant: The remaining downtown Portland location of a popular Japanese chain, 606 S.W. Broadway

Inspected on: March 29, 2019

Score: 62

Notes include: Bento boxes placed on cutting board used to cut raw proteins, moved to service counter then taken to customers' table; cooked meats without a prep date from commissary location, handwritten menu boards do not have a reminder next to fish that is served raw or undercooked, shellfish tags are not properly maintained.

Follow-up inspection(s):

April 2, 2019 (score: 97,

)

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SALT & PEPPER

The restaurant: A Mexican and Peruvian restaurant inside Tienda El Campesino at 6611 S.E. Powell Blvd.

Inspected on: May 30, 2019

Score: 62

Notes include: Improper date-marking, specifically several cooked meat dishes dated 5/19 and 5/10; potatoes cooked the night before were improperly cooled and stored in glass-front refrigerator; no paper towels at kitchen hand sink; "home-style" cockroach spray spotted on rim of hand sink.

Follow-up inspection(s):

June 13, 2019 (score: 95,

)

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OCEAN CITY RESTAURANT

The restaurant: A decade-old Chinese haunt best known for its push-cart dim sum, at 3016 S.E. 82nd Ave.

Inspected on: April 11, 2019

Score: 61

Notes include: Food in contact with utensils that are not properly cleaned, pans of cooked food sitting at room temperature, chlorine sanitizer concentration not adequate in dishwasher, nothing in the entire restaurant was date marked, shellstock not properly labeled or tagged, no hand soap in employee restroom, cupboard under tea station has mouse droppings, live mouse on sticky trap.

Follow-up inspection(s):

April 25, 2019 (score: 97,

)

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POP BAGEL

The restaurant: One of two locations of Nuvrei bakery's pretzel bagel spin-off, this one in Big Pink, 555 S.W. Oak St.

Inspected on: May 2, 2019

Score: 61

Notes include: Ready-to-eat food improperly date-marked or not discarded after seven calendar days, potentially hazardous food not maintained at proper holding temperatures, to-go cream cheese without "keep refrigerated," ingredients list or contact information on label, sanitation cloth on cutting board with no chlorine residual and lots of food particles.

Read the report

Follow-up inspection(s):

May 15, 2019 (score: 95,

), June 4, 2019 (

)

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TOM’S RESTAURANT

The restaurant: A 40-year-old Greek diner and sports bar with off-track betting at 3871 S.E. Division St.

Inspected on: April 11, 2019

Score: 61

Notes include: Chef washed hands for just three seconds after cracking eggs, potentially hazardous food not maintained at proper cold holding temperatures, raw oyster tub stored over cooked meats and sauces in kitchen cooler, shellfish tags not attached to the receiving container.

Follow-up inspection(s):

April 16, 2019 (score: 90,

)

Response from Nick Papailiou of Tom's Restaurant: "We are declining to comment at this time."

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GRACIE’S

The restaurant: A swank restaurant with imperial decor off the lobby of the Hotel DeLuxe, 729 S.W. 15th Ave.

Inspected on: April 16, 2019

Score: 60

Notes include: Cooked food improperly cooled including Mornay sauce dated 4/14 held at 48 degrees; ready-to-eat food not consumed within the required time period or not properly date-marked including "eggs diablo" filling for deviled eggs dated 3/26 and lobster sauce (cream and lobster sauce) 3/25, sanitation buckets and cloths showed no trace of sanitizer.

Follow-up inspection(s):

April 19, 2019 (score: 95,

), April 30, 2019 (not scored,

).

Response from Hotel DeLuxe general manager Tim Block:

“We appreciate the thoroughness and diligence of the team at the Multnomah County Health Department. With the feedback they provided, we were able to identify and address a few areas for improvement in our processes and pass a follow up inspection three days later."

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KHAO SAN PEARL

The restaurant: A two-location chain of street-food-style Thai restaurants, this one at 1435 N.W. Flanders St.

Inspected on: May 31, 2019

Score: 60

Notes include: Dishwasher neglected to wash hands between handling dirty dishes and clean, instead wiping hands on dish towel; same towel used to wipe dishes "clean"; raw frozen pork stored above ice cream in walk-in cooler; salad rolls and thin slices of cooked pork belly left at room temperature.

Follow up inspection(s):

June 12, 2019 (score: 90,

)

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THE PALM COURT

The restaurant: The plush lobby restaurant and lounge at the Benson Hotel, 309 S.W. Broadway

Inspected on: April 12, 2019

Score: 56

Notes include: Ready-to-eat foods not properly date-marked including cooked corned beef marked 3/21, food not maintained at proper hot or cold holding temperatures, raw food not properly protected from cross contamination, personnel not properly trained in food safety or food allergy awareness, food placed directly on floor in walk-in freezer.

Follow-up inspection(s):

April 16, 2019 (score: 75,

), April 29, 2019 (

)

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HIDDEN EAST TAVERN

The restaurant: A neighborhood dive bar just south of the Woodstock Goodwill at 6525 S.E. 52nd Ave.

Inspected on: May 30, 2019

Score: 53

Notes include: Food improperly cooled, specifically a pan of cooked chicken with tight plastic covering at 47-48 degrees; no sanitizer residue in dishwasher; hand-washed dishes not properly sanitized; ready-to-eat food not date-marked including cooked chicken, deli meats.

Follow-up inspection(s):

June 13, 2019 (score:

)

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SHIGEZO

The restaurant: A Japanese import near the South Park Blocks with sushi, ramen, izakaya dishes and more, 910 S.W. Salmon St.

Inspection date: Dec. 20, 2018 (required reinspections ongoing)

Score: 52

Notes include: Raw or ready-to eat food not properly protected from cross contamination, raw fish held at improper temperature (53 degrees), chlorine sanitizer concentration in dishwasher not adequate, hand-washing sink near robata grill had no soap, entire facility covered in grease and dirt and other debris, cold water faucet leaking into large tub filled with dead bugs. During a return visit, inspector noted rat fecal matter observed in the basement and that the restaurant was saving wooden skewers from dirty plates, soaking them, running them through the dishwasher and re-using them to cook meat on the robata grill.

Follow-up inspection(s):

Jan. 7, 2019 (score: 71,

), Feb. 7, 2019 (not scored,

), March 12, 2019 (not scored,

), April 9, 2019 (not scored,

), May 15, 2019 (not scored,

), June 28, 2019 (semiannual, score: 72;

)

Comment from Shigezo, via co-owner Kyle Nakagawa: We at Shigezo take our food safety responsibilities very seriously. All areas highlighted in the inspection report have since been acted upon and we are now compliant. We will continue to work with the environmental health specialists of Multnomah County to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and food safety for all our customers.

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ANDINA

The restaurant: A popular Pearl District Peruvian restaurant at 1314 N.W. Glisan St. that made headlines after sickening dozens of customers with norovirus in 2013.

Inspected on: June 25, 2019

Score: 51

Notes include: Food not properly protected from cross contamination, including raw eggs stored over mashed potatoes, raw chicken sitting on top of ready-to-eat sauce, etc.; food not maintained at proper hot or cold holding temperatures, including cooked sweet potato at 51 degrees, caramel sauce with cream at 52 degrees, deep fried onions and fries at 67 degrees; food not consumed within the required time period, including salsa picante dated 6/15, bacon jam 6/13 and fish stock 6/17; dishwasher in main kitchen showed no residual chlorine; shellfish tags are not properly maintained; prep cooks did not have food thermometers; slicer and can opener blades have old food attached; no hand washing soap at sink in prep kitchen.

Follow-up inspection(s):

June 26 (score: 92;

)

Response from Andina, via co-owner Peter Platt: "To our faithful guests: we openly acknowledge the temporary posting of a 'failure to comply' notice outside our front door following a semi-annual health inspection on June 25th. We quickly remedied all issues cited by our inspector within less than 24 hours, and were re-inspected the following day, receiving a passing 92-point score (out of 100). As long-time owners and operators, we were genuinely shocked and chagrined at receiving such low marks in our initial inspection, especially given our consistent commitment to health and food safety and the perfect 100 point scores from our last two health inspections. We would like to note that nothing substantively had changed between our penultimate inspection in October 2018, and our most recent inspection -- same Chef, same staff, same menu, same procedures. The only significant difference between our last inspections and our most current was a different health inspector. Nonetheless, we sincerely apologize to our guests for any loss of confidence in the management of our business. We will be using this event as an opportunity to further invigorate our health and safety processes for maximum compliance. We refer all questions regarding the quality, frequency and consistency of inspections to the Multnomah County Health Department."

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MCMENAMINS CRYSTAL HOTEL -- ZEUS CAFE

The restaurant: Brewery and hotel chain McMenamins' flagship downtown Portland eatery, at 303 S.W. 12th Ave.

Inspected on: Feb. 6, 2019

Score: 42

Notes include: Raw or ready-to eat food not properly protected from cross contamination, chlorine sanitizer concentration in basement dishwasher is not adequate, raw hamburger and cooked chicken stored overnight at improper temperature, extreme buildup of mold slime in basement ice machine.

Follow-up inspections:

Feb. 12 (score: 83,

); March 19 (

)

Comment from McMenamins, via C.O.O. Rich Smith: The safety of our customers and staff are of utmost importance to us. We were disappointed by the failed inspection at the Zeus Café in February. We took corrective action immediately and passed the re-inspection. We also made immediate changes to the kitchen management and reviewed all procedures. We have remained in compliance since this incident.

-- Michael Russell

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