Closed Calgary restaurant faces food handling permit suspension

Article content

An Alberta Health Services closure order handed to a Calgary restaurant last week lists 38 medical conditions that “may become harmful or dangerous to public health.”

The closure order, first issued orally on May 7, also lists 35 work orders that the Yemeni Village restaurant must complete before it can reopen.

Article content

The conditions can also hinder the prevention or suppression of disease, the AHS regulation states.

Article content

The 38 conditions observed included mold growth near a kitchen area, mouse droppings in certain areas, dirty food equipment and utensils, lack of hot water at a hand sink and raw chicken stored on a counter without temperature control.

Just days after executing the closure order, AHS issued a food handling permit suspension on May 10, citing “concern about possible cross-contamination within the facility due to handling of uninspected meat.”

AHS did not respond as of early Tuesday afternoon about what risks, if any, to the public.

The suspension notice also noted that Yemeni Village at 402 8th Street SW had already been issued two work orders for “non-compliance with food regulations” in February 2022 and April 2023.

In addition, a total of three closure orders were issued for the company, first in October 2022, then in April 2023 and the current one in May 2024.

“Recurring violations include sewage backups, food temperature abuse, improper food storage, clogged and poorly equipped handwashing sinks, lack of food safety knowledge, and dirty and/or damaged surfaces, equipment, and utensils throughout,” the notice said.

Article content

A compliance review hearing that AHS conducted with the owner in April 2023 also found that the company had failed to comply with promised compliance measures.

The restaurant may reapply for a food handling permit after 14 days if it fully complies with the closure order and certain criteria are met under AHS. This includes proof that the food comes from an approved source, a supplier list, copies of receipts and invoices for all meat products for the last six months, and cleaning/disinfecting all food contact surfaces.

Yemeni Village did not respond to Postmedia’s requests for comment.

A sign on the building says the restaurant is for sale.

Separately, eight businesses that had been issued closure orders by the AHS in April for allegedly buying and selling uninspected meat were allowed to reopen earlier this month. AHS issued the orders in response to an RCMP investigation into the illegal slaughter of sheep and goats in southern Alberta.

Share this article on your social network