Tres Carnales Taqueria flunks AHS inspection for 'significant' pest infestation

Tres Carnales shutdown by AHS An inspection found evidence of a significant pest infestation at the downtown restaurant. Joe Scarpelli has more.

A popular downtown destination for tacos and housemade guacamole failed a recent Alberta Health Services inspection after a pest infestation was uncovered.

According to AHS, Tres Carnales Taqueria was closed on Oct. 31 after officials found several breaches of provincial health and food regulations.

The inspection report, dated Nov. 2, noted there was evidence of a "significant" pest infestation, with mice droppings found in multiple areas of the restaurant, and traps were "full of live and dead" cockroaches.

Other deficiencies included food utensils not being stored to prevent pest contamination, evidence of water leaking from some plumbing fixtures, gaps in their back kitchen exit allowing pests to move in and broken floor tiles in the kitchen.

"A build-up of grunge, grease, debris, food particles and filth are present on kitchen equipment, food storage carts, walls, floor and ceiling in the facility," the AHS closure order read.

AHS ordered the facility to remain closed until the owners could work with a licensed pest control company to eliminate the infestation and deep clean the entire restaurant.

The restaurant was also expected to reorganize the basement dry storage room to facilitate cleaning and pest monitoring.

On Saturday evening, a public notice of the closure order was visible on the front doors of the restaurant.

Tres Carnales said in a statement posted on its storefront that it would be "briefly closed" and that staff are working "swiftly" to rectify the issues alongside the property manager.

"As always, the best culinary and service experience for our guests and positive working conditions for our team are our priorities," the statement said.

As of publication, AHS listed the closure order as inactive, which it defines as meaning the necessary repairs had been completed.

OUTSIDE OF OUR SPACE AND CONTROL: OWNER

In an interview with CTV News Edmonton, one of the owners of Tres Carnales said many of the issues resulted because of problems with the overall building, not just their individual space.

Daniel Braun, Tres Carnales Taqueria co-owner and operator, said the restaurant routinely passed AHS inspection since they opened 11 years ago.

He said all necessary repairs and the mandated deep clean and fumigation treatments have been completed.

"These issues have all been addressed, and they have been addressed quickly and exactly to the standards of AHS," Braun said. "Right now, we are just waiting for the cycle to be finished so the AHS inspector can come back and check everything up and hopefully give us our stamp of approval so we can hopefully continue business."

"We are proud of our place and all the things that it has done," he added. "We want to comply. We've always wanted to comply."

"The source of these issues are outside the building and within parts of the building that have nothing to do with us."

CTV News Edmonton reached out to the property owner for comment.