Cockroaches Close Mission Viejo Simply Fondue

Twice in August, county health inspectors found cockroaches in the kitchen of Simply Fondue on Los Alisos. The restaurant was closed for a day, and has since been declared safe.

On Aug. 8, Simply Fondue was found in violation of four major health codes and 10 minor health codes, according to a county health department report. You can read this and other reports attached to the right of this article.

A health inspector found "live cockroaches, in different life cycles, ... observed in critical areas of the kitchen, on food and utensil storage racks, on the floor, and at the main hand wash sink."

Other violations included no sanitizer in the final cycle of a dish washing machine, dirty wiping cloths stored on food surfaces and garlic/oil mixtures stored at 62 degrees.

The restaurant was allowed to reopen Aug. 9 after a follow-up inspection.

During another inspection held Aug. 30, health inspectors found three more dead cockroaches in a "non-critical" area of the restaurant.

On Sept. 6, health officials declared the restaurant safe from cockroaches:

"A thorough inspection for additional vermin activity was conducted and no further evidence was observed this visit."