Posted on 11/21/2025 8:54:54 AM PST by DFG
A pho restaurant in the South Bay has temporarily closed after a video appearing to show unsanitary meat handling practices in back of the restaurant went viral.
The restaurant has emerged at the center of an online controversy after someone posted video of a man slamming frozen beef ribs on the bare ground in back of the restaurant. The video, which was shot from a rooftop vantage point, shows the meat being thrown onto pieces of cardboard and skidding off into the pavement, which appears stained with refuse water from a trash compactor.
At one point in the video posted on TikTok, the meat can be seen skidding off into a puddle of murky, dark liquid.
An empty mop bucket and a garbage heap can also be seen in the video.
When KRON4 visited Pho Love on Thursday, a sign on the door said the restaurant was closed “due to an issue involving one of our employees.”
The Santa Clara County Department of Public Health said it was made aware of the video which appeared to show “unsafe handling of frozen ribs on the ground,” according to Environmental Health Director Dr. Marilyn C. Underwood. County environmental health specialists conducted a full investigation of the restaurant, spoke with the restaurant’s operator, and reviewed current staff training and food safety handling practices.
While investigating the restaurant, the county also found major violations including:
A cockroach infestation A lack of ability to properly sanitize utensils and equipment The restaurant was also cited for failing to follow proper food safety knowledge specifically regarding the handling of frozen ribs, as seen in the video.
“Pho Love has been closed until the operator can correct the major violations and demonstrate acceptable food handling practices,” said Underwood
A second sign, from the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, confirmed that the restaurant was closed due to the temporary suspension of its health permit.
The closure notice was dated Thursday, Nov. 20.
Pho Love also appears to have disabled its Instagram account. However, before the account went offline, the restaurant posted that it is aware of the video and is cooperating with an official investigation into the matter.
“We are aware of the concerning video currently circulating online,” the restaurant posted on Instagram. “After a preliminary internal review, we have determined that the individual’s actions were conducted in a personal capacity and in collaboration with an external party, contrary to our company’s standards and without our knowledge or instruction.”
The restaurant went on to say it was “treating the matter with the utmost seriousness” and was fully cooperating with a police investigation.
“The trust and safety of our customers are the highest priority,” the restaurant added.
The Milpitas Police Department told KRON4 it was aware of the video circulating and had shared information with the Code Enforcement division.
KRON4 tried to calling Pho Love several times during its posted business hours for further comment. We were unsuccessful.
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https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1p1x76o/pholove_in_milpitas_slamming_frozen_beef_ribs_on/
For the unique flavor.
Taste just like you get on streets of Saigon...
Oh well, I am not justifying what they did, just stating, that the look may have been much worse than it really was.
However, I believe for the sake of safety, they should have suffered the consquences for the lack of care they took in doing the task differently.
The mop bucket is a nice touch.
“However, I believe for the sake of safety, they should have suffered the consquences for the lack of care they took in doing the task differently.”
It tr8ggered an inspection which found a cockroach infestation and other violations.
“Taste just like you get on streets of Saigon...”
When were you last in Saigon?
Diversity is our strength.
When were you last in Saigon?
“I was in... Sang Bang... Dang Gong... I was all over the place, basically a lot of places, a lot of places.”
Yes asian restaurants do have a well deserved reputation for questionable food handling and sanitation issues, however this happens all over.
Back in the 80s a good friend of mine worked in the kitchen of a very respectable steakhouse in my town....later he went on to be a plumber doing commercial work in businesses including many restaurant kitchens.
He told me on several occasions, if he shared stories of things he’s seen in restaurant kitchens I’d never eat out again......and he said it didn’t matter how upscale the restaurant either.....they ALL do it.
Never. Unless you count the little bamboo -surrounded outdoor drinking area of a certain bar in Eugene, Oregon. That was known as Saigon. Caught a baby ‘possum there, once.
Hey - they were taken “temporary unsanitary”...
“The mop bucket is a nice touch”
Well, you’ve got to marinate the ribs somewhere! Lol!
After eating our Pho, you will make love to the toilet seat.
Then you don’t know the d8fference.
“cats in the kettle at the Peking Moon”
We had a Pho place here (CO) caught dumping uneaten pho back in the main pot.
Haven’t been back.
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