Modernist Gets Conditional Pass on Reinspection with Violations

Modernist restaurant in San Francisco's SOMA district received a conditional pass during a health department reinspection on October 2nd, but the establishment must address several ongoing violations before its next scheduled review. The restaurant at 139 Steuart Street, near Montgomery Street BART, can continue operating while working to correct the identified issues. During this inspection, health department inspector Patrick Wood documented six total violations, including two major infractions that prevented the restaurant from achieving a full passing grade. The most serious concern involved the continued presence of mouse droppings throughout the kitchen area, an issue that was first identified during a previous inspection but remained unresolved at the time of the October 2nd visit.

Pest Control Issues Persist

Inspector Wood noted that mouse feces were still present on the kitchen floor, despite previous directives for the restaurant to contract with a licensed pest control professional. According to the inspection report, the person-in-charge confirmed that the facility had not received pest control service as directed by the health department, and no pest control reports were available for review during the inspection. The ongoing rodent issue represents a significant food safety concern, as mice can contaminate food preparation areas and surfaces. The health department has directed the restaurant to immediately address this violation and maintain pest control receipts on-site for future inspections. A follow-up inspection has been scheduled for October 9th or later to verify that proper pest control measures have been implemented.

Equipment and Sanitation Violations

Beyond the pest control issues, inspectors identified several equipment-related violations that contributed to the conditional rating. The low-temperature mechanical dishwasher in the back of house kitchen remained unrepaired from the previous inspection and was not dispensing proper sanitizing solution. While the dishwasher at the bar area had been repaired, it was dispensing approximately 200ppm chlorine solution instead of the required 50ppm concentration. Additional violations included missing paper towels at handwashing sinks in both the back prep area and bar area. The restaurant was directed to install proper fixtures to hold paper towels at the bar area handwashing sink to ensure staff can maintain proper hand hygiene protocols.

Temperature Control Concerns

Inspectors also documented temperature control issues with refrigeration equipment. The refrigeration unit on the left side of the cook's line was measuring 64 degrees Fahrenheit, well above the required temperature for safely storing potentially hazardous foods. A bloated can of crab claw was discovered in this unit and was discarded along with other potentially hazardous foods. The restaurant was instructed to use alternative refrigeration capable of maintaining proper temperatures until the unit is repaired or replaced.

Operational Status and Next Steps

Despite these violations, Modernist can continue serving customers while addressing the identified issues. The person-in-charge confirmed that no active food service was taking place at the time of inspection, which may have contributed to some of the equipment-related violations going unnoticed. The restaurant operates under permit name "Modernist" and is owned by 139 Steuart LLC. Inspector Wood can be reached at (415) 252-3915 for questions regarding the violations and required corrections. The establishment must demonstrate compliance with all cited violations during the upcoming follow-up inspection to achieve a full passing grade and avoid potential administrative penalties. The conditional pass allows the restaurant to remain operational while working toward full compliance with San Francisco health department standards.