Three Lexington County restaurants received a C, the lowest Food Grade given out by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, during the month of October.

The restaurants are located in Cayce and Lexington.

Southside Restaurant, located at 2333 Charleston Hwy. in Cayce, received a C (70%) on a routine inspection conducted Oct. 4.

The restaurant was able to improve to an A (98%) on a follow-up conducted Oct. 12.

The Oct. 4 report noted an employee handling muffins with bare hands, black build-up inside of the ice machine, improper reheating, cold holding temperatures, improper date marking and fly activity throughout the facility.

Also noted was “heavy grease and food debris buildup on exterior of equipment and underneath equipment throughout the facility” and “grime buildup on floors throughout the facility.”

The Oct. 12 report noted rusted shelving throughout the facility, floors with low grout, damaged floors in walk-in cooler and cutting boards with deep grooves and build-up.

The Kingsman Restaurant, located at 936 Axtel Dr. in Cayce, received a B (78%) on a routine inspection conducted Oct. 12, the restaurant was downgraded to a C (92%) on a follow-up conducted Oct. 19.

The restaurant was able to improve to an A (99%) on a subsequent follow-up conducted Oct. 25.

The Oct. 12 report noted that employees were observed rinsing their hands in the 3 compartment sink in lieu of proper handwashing and going from handling dirty dishes to handling clean dishes without proper hand washing at the dish machine.

The report also noted roach activity throughout the facility, buckets of food stored directly on the floor underneath the prep table, raw beef stored directly above grocery-style bags and dust build-up on ceiling tiles over prep areas.

The Oct. 19 report notes improper cold holding temperatures (a consecutive violation), household pesticides within the facility, and dust build-up on ceiling tiles and a pan of meat and buckets of food sitting directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler.

The Oct. 25 report once again notes dust build-up on ceiling tiles, and the restaurant was observed covering the C grade they had received.

Super Mercado La Union, located at 2361 Augusta Hwy. in Lexington, received a C (76%) on a routine inspection conducted Oct. 31.

The Oct. 31 report noted a hand-sink filled with pans and without paper towels and observed garlic with a white fuzzy substance on top. The report also notes that beans cooked the previous day were sitting on the floor and not properly cooled, chemicals were stored with clean dishes and there were ceviche with raw shrimp without a consumer advisory.

As of Nov. 7, no other follow-up reports for the restaurant had been posted to DHEC’s online database, though the Oct. 31 report noted that another follow-up inspection was required within 10 days.

Senor Burrito – which shares an address with Riveras Supermercado at 1618 Airport Blvd. in West Columbia – received a C grade in September, but as of Nov. 7, wasn’t listed as having had a subsequent follow-up inspection conducted.