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by ERIN PARROTT
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As the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) continues conducting routine inspections of restaurants across the Palmetto State, FITSNews is back with another installment of our Carolina Kitchen Confidential series – taking a closer look at what regulators say is really happening behind the scenes inside South Carolina’s food service industry.
According to an August 8, 2026 inspection report (.pdf), SCDA inspectors gave Aura Kitchen & Bar, located on Gervais Street in downtown Columbia, a score of 72 – resulting in a “C” grade – and classified it as a “high risk” facility.
Among the most significant issues documented by inspectors were concerns involving employee handwashing and the handling of ready-to-eat foods.
Inspectors observed employees handling raw shrimp before putting on new gloves and handling ready-to-eat food – without properly washing their hands in between. Another employee was observed handling electronic devices before putting on gloves and returning to food preparation without washing their hands.
An employee was also observed handling green onions with their bare hands before using them to garnish ready-to-eat rice. Meanwhile, a handwashing sink in the dish area was found completely blocked by a bag containing linens and cloths, per the report.
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Inspectors also documented several potential cross-contamination concerns. Ready-to-eat products were reportedly found stored next to and below raw shrimp and raw chicken, while a case of raw shell eggs was stored above ready-to-eat produce inside the restaurant’s walk-in cooler. Those violations were corrected during the inspection, the report noted.
Temperature control was another problem, according to inspectors.
Raw beef was recorded at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, while butter chicken sauce and mango lassi were each measured at 58 degrees inside a two-door cooler on the restaurant’s make line, the report found. These violations were not corrected during the inspection and required verification, inspectors noted.
Inspectors also found no date markings on certain temperature-controlled foods reportedly held for more than 24 hours – including tikka masala sauce, butter chicken sauce and kimchi.
Because there was no date-marking system in place, inspectors noted they were unable to determine the proper disposition of those foods.
Elsewhere in the kitchen, two bowls of raw chicken were observed sitting in standing water while being improperly thawed, per the report. Food inside the walk-in cooler was also stored underneath leaking water lines, inspectors noted.
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The restaurant’s dish machine was initially found sanitizing at zero parts per million (ppm) despite a minimum chlorine sanitization requirement of 50 ppm. That issue was corrected, although inspectors separately noted the restaurant did not have a testing device available for its chlorine sanitizer.
Inspectors also documented cleanliness concerns throughout the establishment.
Ice buildup was observed on the floor and ceiling of the walk-in freezer, while grime had accumulated on prep cooler doors and gaskets.
Inspectors further reported a “heavy presence” of grease and grime underneath fryers and other equipment, along with black buildup and food debris beneath the cook line and sauce splattered on walls.
Despite those findings, inspectors noted all observed cooking temperatures were within the proper range and all observed hot-held foods were maintained at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
SCDA determined a follow-up inspection was required following Aura Kitchen & Bar’s “C” score.
As always, FITSNews will continue monitoring inspection reports from restaurants across South Carolina as part of our ongoing Carolina Kitchen Confidential series.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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