HONOLULU — The Piikoi-area Persian restaurant Bar Koko has been fined $3,000 for unlawfully removing from display a yellow “conditional pass” placard issued by the state Department of Health’s Food Safety Branch.

What You Need To Know

  • Bar Koko was issued the placard on July 3 after a routine inspection by a Department of Health food-safety specialist uncovered multiple health violations
  • Since 2014, DOH has used color-coded placards to indicate an establishment’s compliance with food establishment regulations
  • A yellow placard is issued when a critical violation remains uncorrected after initial inspection or two or more critical violations have been observed
  • DOH personnel observed that the yellow placard issued to Bar Koko was not displayed for three days following the initial inspection

“Placard removal is a serious violation with substantial consequences because this act compromises the public’s trust and its right-to-know when violations occur during an inspection,” said Peter Oshiro, environmental health program manager. “Since the start of the placarding program, we’ve seen excellent compliance with the food industry; this is only the seventh incident involving tampering with a placard.”  

The restaurant was issued the placard on July 3 after a routine inspection by a DOH food-safety specialist uncovered multiple health violations, including:

  • Hands not being properly washed due to absence of disposable towels
  • Foods not protected from cross-contamination due to storage of raw ground beef above fresh produce
  • Food equipment not being properly sanitized after washing
  • Milk, chicken, ground beef and other potentially hazardous foods being held at a temperature above 41 F

Since 2014, DOH has used color-coded placards to indicate an establishment’s compliance with food establishment regulations.

A green placard indicates no more than one critical violation was observed during inspection and that the violation was corrected at the time of inspection.

A yellow placard is issued when a critical violation remains uncorrected after initial inspection or two or more critical violations have been observed.

Red placards are issued when an imminent health hazard is observed or when the establishment’s permit has been suspended.

Only authorized DOH agents may post or remove a color-coded placard. Establishments are required to keep the placards posted near their entrance.

DOH personnel observed that the yellow placard issued to Bar Koko was not displayed for three days following the initial inspection.

During a follow-up inspection, DOH personnel confirmed that all violations were corrected and the yellow placard was reposted. The restaurant was subsequently issued a green placard.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.