When the owners of Downtown Santa Ana’s “The Little Sparrow” were begging the Santa Ana Planning Commission for a full alcohol license and extended hours of service they claimed to be very experience in operating restaurants, although that did not appear to the case.
Perhaps that suspected inexperience has caught up to them now as they have announced via a sign on their door that as of March 4, 2014 they are no longer serving breakfast and lunch, although they will continue to serve brunch on Sundays and will have dinner service from Tuesday – Saturday, from 5 pm to 12 midnight.
One of our readers also noted that the sign on their door directs their clients to local eateries – except they did not list any of the Latino-owned restaurants in DTSA.
This move comes on the heels of the closure of the Memphis at the Santora and The Crosby. Those closures came not long after a 29-year old Chapman graduate named Kim Pham was literally kicked to death by three Latina patrons of The Crosby.
Is the current focus on evening drinking and debauchery in DTSA killing their daytime traffic? Santa Ana residents are starting to complain about the proliferation of alcohol permits in DTSA. Honestly what reason to most of our local residents have to visit DTSA at this point? The entire thrust of DTSA is now to appeal to yuppies and hipsters who don’t live here.
To make matters worse for the Little Sparrow, they finally caught the attention of the Orange County Health Care Agency. They received a Major Health Violation on 2/5/14 for a “Cockroach Infestation/Activity in Critical Area.” Major Violations pose the highest risk of causing food poisoning (or foodborne illness.
Here is the Little Sparrow’s entire record of OC Health Care Agency Inspections and Violations:
FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION  |
02/13/2014 |
| Unsanitary Equipment/Utensil/Linen/Plumbing | |
| Failure to Comply w/HACCP or TPHC plan not on-site | |
| ROUTINE INSPECTION |
02/05/2014 |
| Cockroach Infestation/Activity in Critical Area | |
| Failure to Comply w/HACCP or TPHC plan not on-site | |
| Lack of/ImproperJanitorial Facilities or Liq Waste | |
| Improper Holding Temperatures of PHF | |
| Lack of/Unsanitary/Condition Walls/Floors/Ceilings | |
| Unsanitary Equipment/Utensil/Linen/Plumbing | |
| REINSPECTION SCHEDULED | |
| FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION |
09/17/2013 |
| Unsanitary Equipment/Utensil/Linen/Plumbing | |
| Failure to Comply w/HACCP or TPHC plan not on-site | |
| ROUTINE INSPECTION |
09/10/2013 |
| Failure to Comply w/HACCP or TPHC plan not on-site | |
| Lack of/Unsanitary/Condition Walls/Floors/Ceilings | |
| Unsanitary Equipment/Utensil/Linen/Plumbing | |
| Inappropriate Sanitizer Level/ Lack of Test Strips | |
| Improper Food Storage/Receiving | |
| Improper Holding Temperatures of PHF | |
| Lack of Food Protection Manager Certificate | |
| REINSPECTION SCHEDULED | |
| ROUTINE INSPECTION |
05/13/2013 |
| Lack of/Improper Handwashing/Handwashing Sup. | |
| Inappropriate Sanitizer Level/ Lack of Test Strips | |
| Improper Holding Temperatures of PHF | |
| Uncleanliness of Premises/Trash Storage | |
| Improper Food Storage/Receiving | |
| Unsanitary Equipment/Utensil/Linen/Plumbing | |
| Lack of/Unsanitary/Condition Walls/Floors/Ceilings | |
| CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP |
05/02/2013 |
False.
? So we made up that sign in their window? And we made up those health violations?
Remember when I predicted this was going to happen?
Lies.
Cucarachas don’t lie…
It is not about the Cucarachas Editor!
You can be a cucaracha yourself from time to time!
It is about the fact the fact that the Downtown economic plan is completely failing! do to the lack of balance of political representation, the dispersion of manipulated capital and marketing towards the reactionary anti-immigrant race culture.
That sign on the restaurant wall made it very clear, if all they had for their suggestions were other “white” owned establishments then they deserve the fate that they get, They dig their own grave.
As do we all.
Own up to it!
Dinner at Little Sparrow was delicious!
I found it to be overpriced, underwhelming (food sucked, service suckier) and amateurish in it’s presentation.
They should consider revamping.
Saw this on YELP, Couldn’t be more accuate:
Now we have this inside joke…
friend: “I know why it’s called the little
sparrow….”
Me: “why?”
Friend: “because when you eat here, a little sparrow comes and steals the money out of your wallet”