Update July 4, 12:47 PM: CHOCHO has made a public social media post that they have resolved the issue and are now in full compliance with Fraser Health. They have now reopened for service as of July 4th 11:00 AM.
To thank customers for the trouble, they are having a daily prize: “First 20 tables each day (July 5–11) qualify for a Labubu blind box draw”
It’s never a good sign when you spot a closure notice slapped on a restaurant door.
And that’s especially true when it is a spot many people go to regularly.
But before we go any further – know that the closure isn’t for something grossly terrible like you’d see on Kitchen Nightmares.
On July 3rd, a notice from Fraser Health was seen taped to the entrance of CHOCHO, the popular all-you-can-eat hot pot spot located on Kingsway in Burnaby.
The closure was first spotted on Chinese social media, and when we swung by in person, the restaurant was indeed closed for service, with the notice clearly posted and their Google listing marked as closed for the day.
According to the Fraser Health Closure Order, the restaurant was ordered to cease operations immediately due to unsanitary conditions.
Specifically, the order cited that equipment and food contact surfaces were not maintained in a sanitary condition, and that these surfaces were not properly washed and sanitized.
The dishwasher was also flagged for failing to reach the required final sanitizing temperature of 71°C.
Until the restaurant can demonstrate proper corrective measures and pass a follow-up inspection, it will remain closed.
For context, any place where food is prepped or served to the public – be it a restaurant, butcher shop, or even a temporary festival food stall – is regulated under B.C.’s Food Premises Regulation and Food Safety Act.
If serious infractions are found or persist uncorrected, a Public Health Inspector has the authority to shut down the business entirely.
This seems to be the case for CHOCHO, which had already been flagged earlier this year.
Back on March 6th, CHOCHO received a High Hazard rating during a routine inspection, notching a violation score of 31.
Some issues noted then included improper food storage temperatures, inadequate dish sanitization, and lack of handwashing stations – critical violations that prompted Fraser Health to increase inspections to three times annually.
However, a reinspection the next day brought the rating down to “Low,” indicating improvements had been made.
This latest closure suggests that the improvements might not have stuck.
While Fraser Health has yet to publish the July 3rd inspection report online, the posted notice doesn’t indicate when a reinspection will occur or how long CHOCHO will remain closed.
Still, we wouldn’t jump to full-blown “Kitchen Nightmares” levels of panic here.
The violations, while serious, are not the same you’d find Gordon Ramsay swearing at and are often quickly corrected.
That said, it’s still surprising to see such a popular and respected spot, especially one tied to the well-known Dolar Shop group, get shut down.
Temporary closures like this are rare for brands of this size and visibility.
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Address: 4361 Kingsway #4A, Burnaby, BC V5H 1Z9