GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Kent County Health Department says XO Asian Cuisine will be allowed to reopen after the restaurant was shut down for numerous health violations. Among those problems; rodent droppings on the floor, improper food temperatures, and issues with food storage.
The downtown restaurant, located at 58 Monroe Center NW, passed a pre inspection Thursday and can reopen as soon as Friday, the health department said in a release.
XO's consultant, Brian Cecil, told FOX 17 News that the restaurant will be soft re-opening Friday with a limited menu. Cecil says the XO staff was working around the clock to get everything up to spec for the inspection, and that the restaurant is ready.
"I don't think the health department would have opened us if they didn't have reasonable assurances in the operation," Cecil says. "Myself will be with them all weekend as they are preparing and serving. I'll help them out with new procedures that we've implemented and training that we've done in the last few days with the employees."
XO was ordered to close April 22 after roughly 30 health violations were found during an inspection. In March, owners were told they had 30 days to get their facility up to code.
"We are trying our best to let people see we change, we're doing our best," XO co-owner Osmond Chan told FOX 17 on April 24. "We're facing the problem."
The health department says they will continue to monitor XO's progress after re-opening and says the restaurant will have surprise inspections for the next year.
To learn more about Kent County food safety inspections, you can check theirwebsite here.
