Live and dead cockroaches near the tortilla chips — and in the bar — force closure of well-known Mexican restaurant in Sandy

May 1 update • La Frontera Cafe in Sandy has been allowed to reopen, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department.

April 18 • A Mexican restaurant in Sandy, infested with live and dead cockroaches, was one of two local eateries shut down by the Salt Lake County Health Department on Wednesday.

La Frontera Cafe, 61 W. 10600 South, had “both live and dead cockroaches..... near the tortilla chip storage, in the mop sink room, and dead cockroaches are present in the bar area,” according to a notice on the department website

“There are numerous live cockroaches at all stages of life present in multiple areas of the facility,” the report added.

In all, the restaurant, part of a well-known chain of Mexican eateries in Utah, was cited for 48 health code violations, 17 of which were considered critical to human health.

The restaurant will remain closed until the owners can fix the problems and health inspectors deem it safe for the public.

Othere critical violations cited include:

• Salsa was being held at too high of a temperature (57 degrees) in the beverage refrigerator, which could cause bacteria to grow.

• Shelves in the walk-in cooler were unclean to sight and touch above uncovered food.

• The interior of the ice machine was unclean; surfaces were unclean around and in the soda dispenser nozzles.

• There was not hot water, soap or hand drying provisions at the bar hand sink.

• A chemical spray bottle was not labeled with the common name; and chemicals were stored above the three-compartment sink.

• Shelves near the tortilla grill were dirty. Drawer handles were dirty. Fan covers in the walk-in cooler were dirty. There was an accumulation of food debris in the reach-in cooler.

April 19 update • Sweet Chimneys, a mobile food truck, has been allowed to reopen, according to The Salt Lake County Health Department.

April 18 • Health inspectors also closed Sweet Chimneys, a mobile food truck at 2100 W. 11400 South. Employees were “applying icing and toppings outside the mobile unit,” inspectors wrote.

Containers holding cooked cakes were being stored on the floor and the hand sink was not working, the report said.

The food truck will remain closed until the owners can fix the problems and health inspectors deem it safe for the public.