A popular Korean plate lunch diner reopened yesterday, just a day after the state Department of Health shut its doors because of a spate of E. coli infections.

Peppa's II Korean BBQ at 1240 S. King St. opened at about 10:30 a.m. after the Health Department confirmed that the staff had completed a 10-point sanitation checklist, included throwing out fresh food and wiping down surfaces.

Ben Lei and Kascha Jones ate a late lunch at Peppa's yesterday. They said they dine there about once a week and did not even hear about the quick closure and reopening.

“;I've never had any complaints,”; Lei said, adding he liked the Pawaa eatery because it is quick with “;a lot of food.”;

The department closed Peppa's on Thursday after seven people were diagnosed with E. coli infections between March 2 and 23. Four of them had eaten at Peppa's.

Four of the seven were hospitalized, with one still in the hospital yesterday, said Larry Lau, deputy director for environmental health.

Most E. coli illnesses are the result of eating contaminated food or undercooked ground beef and can be accompanied by diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Most people recover without treatment, but those with existing health issues can develop a more severe illness.

  Peppa's reopens after health investigation

 

The State Health Department has given Peppa's Korean BBQ the okay to reopen.

 

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Lau said state inspectors suspected Peppa's because those who had fallen ill ate there. Food-handling violations also were cited in January and during the investigation.

Sanitation branch workers took 12 samples from the kitchen and refrigerator, but results were negative for E. coli, said Peppa's manager Patrick Kang.

Kang said they wanted to reopen as soon as possible for the busy Easter weekend so the staff cleaned Thursday, and a sanitation branch inspector stayed until 1 a.m. for the final inspection.

When the restaurant reopened yesterday, the first customer was the state inspector, Kang said.

But news of the closure slowed business. About 30 people came in for lunch by 4 p.m. A typical Friday sees about 300 customers.

Kang said he runs a clean business and hoped customers would come back.

“;Trust our food,”; he said. “;Trust our restaurant. This is clean and fresh.”;

Peppa's manager will still have to go through a two-day food handling certification course beginning Monday, Lau said.

Lau said an investigation is continuing into the source of the E. coli because Peppa's may have passed along the E. coli strain O157 from somewhere else.

Lei, who was eating lunch at Peppa's, said he was not deterred by the temporary closure. “;I don't think it's going to stop me from coming back here,”; he said, “;unless I personally hear of someone or I get sick.”;