Sidewalk Meat-Smashing Video Sparks Outrage
A Vietnamese restaurant in California that was temporarily shut down after a viral video showed an employee smashing frozen meat on a dirty sidewalk has been allowed to reopen, despite ongoing health concerns.
PhoLove in Milpitas resumed operations yesterday following a closure that lasted only a few days after health inspectors discovered multiple serious violations, including a cockroach infestation and improper food handling practices.
The controversy began when a TikTok video, which has since garnered 5.5 million views, showed a worker repeatedly throwing frozen racks of ribs onto flattened cardboard boxes placed on the pavement behind the establishment.
In the disturbing footage, the frozen meat can be seen bouncing off the concrete and hitting a mop bucket before the employee eventually breaks the slabs apart and throws them into a cardboard box.
Owner's Contradictory Explanations
Restaurant owner Uyen Tran initially claimed on Yelp that the incident was an act of sabotage by a former employee and an accomplice. "This was a deliberate act by a former employee and an accomplice, and we were never involved," Tran stated in a comment.
However, the owner later changed his story during interviews with The Mercury News, explaining alongside the employee featured in the inspection report that the outdoor meat incident was a one-time occurrence due to limited counter space.
Tran claimed they typically thaw meat in a refrigerator or preparation sink, contradicting his earlier sabotage allegations.
The health inspection report noted several unaddressed violations beyond the sidewalk meat incident, including:
- Inability to properly sanitise utensils and equipment
- Cockroach infestation throughout the premises
- Chicken trays placed directly on the floor
- Meat stored in plastic grocery bags instead of food-safe containers
Public Backlash and Review Bombing
The restaurant's Yelp page was flooded with negative reviews following the viral video, prompting the platform to take unusual action. Yelp disabled the ability to post new reviews for PhoLove and issued an "unusual activity alert" to users.
One disgusted customer wrote: "Saw a video recording of them throwing ribs on the ground outside to split the meat. Like on the concrete outside on the actual ground. Super disgusting do not eat here it's not safe or sanitary."
Another reviewer sarcastically commented: "If you like your meat prepared on the floor, then I would recommend this place. Man caught slamming meat on floor outside to break apart. Disgusting!"
Despite the backlash, Tran attempted to defend his business, stating: "The behavior shown does not represent our values or our training... Thank you for your support as we work to uphold the standards you expect from us."
The restaurant's Instagram page has since been taken down, and The Daily Mail has reached out to PhoLove for additional comment.
Interestingly, before this incident, Santa Clara County health inspections had only found minor violations at the establishment, according to The Mercury News.
The rapid reopening has raised questions about food safety enforcement, particularly after a Reddit user claiming to be a "geo-guesser" reported the restaurant to health authorities based on the viral video evidence.
