Hawaii Department of Health

10/29/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2025 20:07

DOH ISSUES RED PLACARD TO LEONARD JR’S HOT MALASADAS & EXPRESSO IN WAIKELE

DOH ISSUES RED PLACARD TO LEONARD JR'S HOT MALASADAS & EXPRESSO IN WAIKELE

Posted on Oct 29, 2025 in Newsroom

HONOLULU - The Hawai'i Department of Health (DOH) authorized the reopening of Leonard Jr's Hot Malasadas & Expresso (359 WEN) at Waikele Center, 95 Lumiʻāina St. on O'ahu, after issuing a red placard on Oct. 28, 2025.

The food establishment, operated by Frank Leonard Rego, Jr., initially received a red placard and was shut down on Oct. 28, 2025 during a routine inspection, because a handwashing sink did not have running water available. The absence of water prevented food handlers from properly washing their hands, resulting in unsanitary conditions that pose a potential risk to public health.

A follow-up inspection was completed on the same day. Since the sink had running water available during the follow-up inspection, the critical violation was corrected. The inspector issued a yellow placard to the food establishment and allowed it to reopen. A second follow-up inspection is scheduled for Oct. 29.

The DOH Food Safety Branch protects and promotes the health of Hawai'i residents and visitors through education of food industry workers and regulation of food establishments statewide. The branch conducts routine health inspections of food establishments where food products are prepared, manufactured, distributed, or sold.

For more information on the department's placarding program go to the Food Safety Branch website. For more information about current establishment inspections, click here.

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News Release - DOH ISSUES RED PLACARD TO LEONARD JR'S HOT MALASADAS & EXPRESSO IN WAIKELE
Hawaii Department of Health published this content on October 29, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 30, 2025 at 02:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]