Code violations don't drive diners away

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (UPI) -- Lines snaked around the block Friday at a San Francisco restaurant before it was shut down for many health and fire code violations, its owner said.

A health inspection report said the 100-year-old restaurant Sam Wo in Chinatown was shut down for violations including employees not washing their hands and contaminating food, rodent feces in the kitchen and improper food storage, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The long lines lasted much of the day Friday before the restaurant was shut down, owner David Ho said.

Ellen Shields, a spokeswoman for the city's Public Health Department, said the restaurant known for late-night food and hit-and-miss service, said the restaurant would have a chance at a meeting Tuesday to make its case for staying open.

But correcting the violations would be no small task, and the restaurant must present its plans to bring the restaurant back up to code, Shields said.

"My understanding is that a lot of the violations require a large infusion of money to fix," Shields said. "They're major fixes -- everything from venting to plumbing to electrical all need to be upgraded."

Ho's daughter, Julie, said family members would attend Tuesday's meeting.

"This restaurant is my life," she said. "We're definitely closing for the weekend, but beyond that nothing is definite."