After a dead rat was allegedly found in a bowl of chowder at Crab Park Chowdery on December 27, health officials said on Friday that following the incident they have shut down Mamie Taylor’s – the nearby restaurant where the chowder is prepared.

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The owner of Mamie Taylor’s, Ron Oliver, has released a statement regarding the incident that speaks to the Chinatown restaurant’s relationship with Crab Park Chowdery.

“It has come to our attention that a rat was allegedly found in chowder purchased at Crab Park Chowdery, a tenant of the commercial commissary kitchen located in the basement of our building,” said Oliver. “While it is true that Crab Park Chowdery makes its soups in that commercial kitchen, we must stress that its operations and kitchen are completely separate from those of Mamie Taylor’s.”

Oliver explained that commissary kitchen is located in the basement level of the 251 E Georgia Street restaurant, but Mamie Taylor’s does not use it to store or prepare its food.

It was the commissary space leased by Crab Park Chowdery that did not pass Vancouver Coastal Health inspection, but since the space is part of the overall restaurant premises, the space was shut down.

“In the six years since we opened in this location, we’ve never had a situation such as this occur at Mamie Taylor’s, nor with any other tenant of the commissary kitchen,” says Oliver.

Oliver said that despite his history of supporting Crab Park Chowdery, “We have also been forced to raise serious concerns with both staff and ownership of Crab Park Chowdery on matters of organization, food safety and general cleanliness.”

Oliver said Mamie Taylor’s would continue to work with Vancouver Coastal Health to resolve the issue, and another inspection was scheduled for Saturday morning.