Rise and fall of a good restaurant

I wasn't totally surprised to read in my local newspaper today that the health inspector had ordered the closing of Petite Soo Chow in Cliffside Park for "general unsanitary conditions."

We started going to the Shanghai-style restaurant a couple of years ago after our favorite Chinese restaurant, China 46, closed because of landlord-rent issues. Felix, the proprietor, always served great Shanghai-style food, such as pork shoulder with buns and crispy fried whole fish, and his all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch was unmatched.

The food at Petite Soo Chow, including the soup dumplings, was good but we soon noticed that the lone male waiter was less than meticulous in his personal habits. In other words, me, my wife and our 11-year-old son saw this waiter pick his nose repeatedly, then bring food from the kitchen to customers, including us. How do you handle something like this?

We stopped going there more than a year ago. Then the local paper gave Petite Soo Chow a rave review. But I guess the restaurant reviewer, who visits at least twice, didn't notice the waiter or maybe he no longer worked there. Today's health inspection notice was welcome news. Of course, we don't know the details of what the inspector found, but I hope the waiter, if he is still there, will be more careful. (This post has been revised.)