Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has issued a red “closed” placard and immediately shut down Kenichi Pacific, a food establishment located at 78-6831 Aliʻi Drive in Kailua-Kona. The closure, which occurred on July 30, is due to multiple critical food safety violations observed during a routine inspection.
The restaurant, operated by Dragonfly Hospitality Group, LLC, must remain closed until all critical violations are resolved and the DOH conducts a follow-up inspection.
During the routine inspection, a DOH inspector observed the following violations:
- Live cockroaches on food-contact surfaces.
- Numerous live and dead cockroaches within the kitchen and food storage areas.
- Food-contact equipment and surfaces were not clean to sight and touch.
- The physical facilities were not maintained and cleaned.
In response, the DOH is requiring the establishment to take a series of corrective actions, including discarding all contaminated food products, hiring a professional pest control operator, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all food and non-food contact surfaces, removing unnecessary equipment and supplies to prevent pest harborage, and conducting maintenance and repair on the mechanical dishwasher and refrigerators.
The establishment is required to remain closed for business until all violations have been corrected and a follow-up inspection by the DOH has been conducted. The operator will contact the DOH for a follow-up inspection when all violations have been addressed.
The DOH Food Safety Branch is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation of food establishments statewide and investigates sources of foodborne illnesses and potential adulteration.
For more information on the department’s placarding program or to check current establishment inspections, visit the Food Safety Branch website.