Tower Burger Gets Conditional Pass After Minor Violations

Tower Burger in West Portal received a conditional pass on its November 18 health inspection after inspectors discovered several minor food safety violations that required immediate correction. The American restaurant at 729 Portola Drive was allowed to continue operating while addressing the issues found during the routine inspection. Health inspectors conducting this inspection between 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM identified six violations, with four classified as major concerns and two as minor infractions. Four of the violations were corrected immediately during the inspection, demonstrating the restaurant's commitment to maintaining food safety standards.

Temperature Control Issues

The primary concerns centered around potentially hazardous foods being held at unsafe temperatures. Inspectors found grilled onions at 75°F, cooked bacon stored in a turned-off oven at 96°F, and sliced cheese at 65°F. According to the person in charge, these items had been removed from temperature control less than two hours prior to the inspection. The violations were quickly addressed during the inspection. Restaurant staff immediately placed the grilled onions and cooked bacon on the grill to hot hold at the required 135°F, while the sliced cheese was moved to the cold top prep cooler to maintain proper refrigeration at or below 41°F.

Sanitation and Storage Corrections

Inspectors also noted that no sanitizer buckets had been prepared at the start of service, despite the facility being open for less than four hours and food preparation occurring. The person in charge immediately prepared a sanitizing bucket with at least 100 parts per million chlorine and sanitized all food preparation surfaces. Additional storage violations included raw shell eggs placed above ready-to-eat foods and vegetables in the walk-in cooler. Staff rearranged the eggs to a lower shelf to prevent potential contamination. Several food containers were found uncovered in refrigeration units, and lids were provided to ensure proper food protection.

Equipment and Cleaning Concerns

The inspection revealed maintenance issues including a deteriorated storage shelf exposing wood material underneath, which requires repair to maintain an easily cleanable surface. Grease and food buildup was observed on the sides of the deep fryer and on floors under the cooking line equipment. A bread knife was found improperly stored between the counter and cold prep unit. This violation was corrected immediately when staff removed the knife for proper cleaning and sanitizing before returning it to an approved storage location.

Restaurant Operations Continue

The conditional pass allows Tower Burger to remain open while addressing the cited violations. The restaurant, accessible via the West Portal Muni station, serves American cuisine to the West Portal community and maintains phone contact at (415) 504-6340 under owner Yoon Won Dae. This marks the first recorded inspection for the establishment in the city's database. The conditional status requires the restaurant to correct all outstanding violations and may trigger a follow-up inspection to ensure compliance with food safety regulations. The facility demonstrated good cooperation during the inspection process by immediately addressing violations that could be corrected on-site.