Latin restaurant in Spring area passes county inspection, though some problems noted

A Spring-area Latin American restaurant passed a recent food safety inspection by Harris County, though some problems were noted.

El Pupusodromo, located at 12325 Veterans Memorial Drive, was inspected on Jan. 18. The restaurant received a score of eight demerits out of a possible 100. An establishment must earn 20 demerits to be considered "of concern" and in need of a follow-up visit.

County officials said they assigned five demerits because they needed to correct a "hot hold" problem at the establishment. This means that food that needed to say hot was unsafely held beneath 135 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours. Inspectors also observed problems with the restaurant's thermometers, which earned the rest of the demerits.

The eight demerits represent something of a decline for El Pupusodromo, which earned a perfect score in a December 2010 inspection and three demerits each in July 2010 and April 2010.

For more information on how Harris County conducts restaurant inspections, visit www.hcphes.org.