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Restaurants close after guest reports cockroaches in food at Columbia Mall

Two restaurants in the Columbia Mallfood court are closed following numerous health code violations. The health department found the violations after responding to a report from a customer who found cockroaches in her food.

In addition to the presence of cockroaches, violations at Famous Cajun Grill and Stir Fry 88 included open containers of food, improperly stored raw food and temperature violations of cold holding units.

Kala Gunier of the Columbia Health Department says while these are serious violations, they may not fully represent the restaurants.

“It is really a snapshot in time, and we see that every day, because while an establishment may be perfect one time we go in or not have very many violations the next time we go in because of change in staff or change in management, there could be violations present,” Gunier said.

Gunier says the department spoke with several of the other restaurants in the mall and that no other full inspections have been performed.

The two shuttered eateries can have their operating permits reinstated as soon as all violations have been corrected and verified by another inspection.

Representatives from the Columbia Mall could not be reached for comment.