A California restaurant has been shut down temporarily after a video appeared online showing unsanitary meat handling practices in the back of the restaurant. The video, first posted on TikTok on November 19 and later shared on Reddit, shows a worker in a black shirt slamming frozen ribs onto the bare ground near a garbage heap and a mop bucket. The footage, shot from a rooftop vantage point, shows the meat landing on pieces of cardboard and skidding onto pavement that appeared stained with water from a trash compactor. An open cardboard box full of ribs is also visible.
The Reddit user who shared the video identified the restaurant as Pho Love in Milpitas, San Francisco, and filed a complaint with local authorities. Santa Clara County officials visited the restaurant on November 20 and subsequently ordered its closure after identifying multiple health violations.
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In a statement, officials from the Santa Clara County Environmental Health organisation revealed that the investigators have discovered major violations, including a cockroach infestation, improper sanitisation of utensils and equipment, and a failure by staff to demonstrate basic food-safety knowledge, The New York Post reported.
"Pho Love has been closed until the operator can correct the major violations and demonstrate acceptable food handling practices,” a spokesperson told the website. The owner reportedly claimed that the employee conspired to harm the business.
The caption of the Reddit post read, “PhoLove in Milpitas slamming frozen beef ribs on bare ground, in trash compactor juices.” The person further shared, “I saw this video posted several times, and no one had answers. I'm a hobbyist geoguesser and I put my talents to work: I was able to find the restaurant...I apologise for the fallout that will ensue. I've reported the restaurant to the SCC Department of Health.”
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The user added, “This type of thing should be met with ZERO tolerance, local crime tag might be fitting, but I couldn't use it. After looking for buildings that matched the one in the video... I found: PhoLove in Milpitas. I'm sorry if this is your spot or you've eaten there, looks like people love it: Google maps link to the back of the business shown in the TikTok (light above door, change in pavement, downspout, screen wall on roof hiding HVAC, it's a 100% undoubted match).”
Take a look at the post here:
PhoLove in Milpitas slamming frozen beef ribs on bare ground, in trash compactor juices
byu/frickinsweetdude inbayarea
The post garnered a massive response from users:
A person shared, “There was a place in SF that got caught doing something similar a few years ago. The SF one was crazy because they weren't even trying to hide it, just out where pedestrians and traffic could see them lol.”
Another chimed in, “Damn, and they have 4.9 stars.” Someone mentioned, “Ironic that a lot of their positive Google reviews are about the short rib pho.”
“They can't just saw them apart like normal people? Or at least throw it down in the freezer to avoid being filmed lol? I'm gagging. This is why I eat at home or the same clean spot over and over, good job to both op and the recorder!! Really sad they thought this was ok,” read a comment.
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Pho Love shared a statement on their now-disabled Instagram account. “We are aware of the concerning video currently circulating online,” the restaurant wrote, as per KRON 4 News. “After a preliminary internal review, we have determined that the individual's actions were conducted in a personal capacity and in collaboration with an external party, contrary to our company's standards and without our knowledge or instruction."
The restaurant went on to say it was "treating the matter with the utmost seriousness" and was fully cooperating with a police investigation. "The trust and safety of our customers are the highest priority," the restaurant added.