Sam Wo owners, city work on reopening S.F. RESTAURANTS

Hot sauce - The final days of Sam Wo on Thursday April 19, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. Hot sauce - The final days of Sam Wo on Thursday April 19, 2012 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Sam Wo owners, city work on reopening 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Supporters of the Sam Wo restaurant flooded a hearing room at the Department of Public Health on Tuesday to defend the 100-year-old Chinatown eating place made famous by the late Edsel Ford Fung, who was often described as the world's rudest waiter.

Sam Wo closed Friday due to significant code violations, but owner David Ho and city representatives agreed to work together to save the historic restaurant.

At Tuesday's hearing, Ho listened as inspectors from the health, fire and building departments listed the violations and the corrections required to reopen. At the end of the 90-minute hearing, both sides agreed that the restaurant could reopen if the necessary changes were made.

No decision was made on a possible reopening date.

Ho and his family expressed their desire to continue operating, which came as good news to the restaurant's supporters.

"Of course we're going to comply. We can't let anyone else down," said Julie Ho, David Ho's daughter. "It's not just the matter of our family, it's for everyone. This is for Chinatown and San Francisco."

To reopen, the owners need to make certain immediate changes. These include installing a commercial refrigeration unit; separate sinks for hand washing, dishwashing and food preparation; and eliminating rodents with the help of a licensed pest control service.

Other required repairs include the fire escape and getting rid of the numerous electrical cords that thread through the restaurant.

"I have to treat it like I would treat any other restaurant," said Nhi Tu, the health department inspector who spoke at length during the hearing about Sam Wo's "long history of repeat health code violations." Tu presented dozens of photographs depicting the restaurant's violations, ranging from rodent feces on shelves to the unsanitary sink.

"Everyone is afforded the same due process, and we always try to work with the different business owners on correcting the issues," Tu said. He noted that the department would also offer in-house, food-safety training to the restaurant's employees.

Officials said long-term compliance goals, such as repairing floors and ceilings, replacing shelving and food preparation tables, and providing better lighting in work areas, could be addressed later.

"I have been a customer of Sam Wo for 60 years and I never got sick from eating it," said one man during the public comment session. His declaration was met with applause and laughter. Other speakers shared memories of how waiter Fung insisted that customers order two plates of noodles to stay healthy.

The restaurant's current lease runs for only six more months. Public records list the building's owner as Pui Yee Chan. Neither Chan nor a representative identified themselves at the hearing.

Richard Lee, the health department's food safety director, said if the violations resurfaced, the restaurant's permit could be revoked.