Pho Lequy Castro Fails with Raw Meat on Food, Oil at 61°F

A popular Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco's Castro district failed its health inspection after inspectors discovered frozen raw meat stored directly on top of cooked food items and garlic-infused oil left at dangerous room temperatures that could harbor deadly bacteria. Pho Lequy Inc, located at 1320 Castro Street near the Castro Street Muni station, received a failing grade during this inspection on October 20, 2025, when Department of Public Health inspector Katherine Tuazon identified seven violations during the routine afternoon inspection.

Major Food Safety Violations

The most serious violation involved dangerous cross-contamination practices where staff had stored frozen raw meat directly on top of frozen cooked rolls and vegetables. This practice creates a direct pathway for cross-contamination, allowing harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter from raw meat to drip onto ready-to-eat foods below. Cross-contamination incidents like this are responsible for massive foodborne illness outbreaks affecting hundreds of people. Equally concerning, inspectors found garlic-infused oil stored in a plastic container left at room temperature on a prep table, measuring a dangerous 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Garlic oil mixtures are particularly hazardous when stored improperly, as they can develop botulism toxin, a potentially fatal poison that thrives in low-oxygen environments. The temperature violations put customers at serious risk, as harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the danger zone between 41-135°F.

Sanitation and Equipment Issues

The inspection revealed additional problems with the restaurant's sanitation practices. Despite operating for more than four hours, staff had no sanitizer bucket available and were using wiping cloths with no measurable sanitation solution on prep tables. This violation of basic food safety protocols means surfaces that come into direct contact with food were not being properly sanitized between uses. Inspectors also discovered organic growth inside the ice machine, which poses health risks to customers consuming beverages or foods prepared with contaminated ice. The equipment issues extended to improper food storage practices, with to-go containers and bowls found inside bulk sugar bins instead of proper scoops with handles. Additional violations included multiple wiping cloths left scattered on prep tables in the cook line and accumulations of dirt and grease in hard-to-reach areas, indicating poor cleaning protocols throughout the kitchen.

Restaurant Background and Consequences

This marks the first recorded inspection for Pho Lequy Inc, making it impossible to establish patterns of compliance or previous violations. The Vietnamese restaurant serves the busy Castro district, an area known for its diverse dining scene and high foot traffic from both locals and tourists. All violations were marked as "corrected on site," meaning staff addressed the immediate issues during the inspection. However, the restaurant received a failing grade and must address underlying sanitation and food safety protocols to prevent future violations. Inspector Katherine Tuazon can be reached at (415) 252-3865 or katherine.tuazon@sfdph.org for follow-up questions. The restaurant remains open while working to improve its food safety practices and prepare for reinspection. Customers who dined at Pho Lequy Inc around the inspection date and experienced symptoms of foodborne illness should contact their healthcare provider and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.