Customers showing support to Pace restaurant after drugs were allegedly found in food

By Ariel Mallory

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    PACE, Alabama (WALA) — The owner of a Pace restaurant caught up in a criminal investigation is speaking out days after they were shut down.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office says several people were drugged while eating at Nikko Japanese Steak House.

The restaurant reopened Tuesday while investigators are still trying to solve what happened.

Seven people were treated at the ER Friday night.

Officials with SRCSO says the customers food and their leftovers tested positive for a narcotic, but deputies aren’t saying what the drug was.

Two customers who came by Tuesday after it reopened say despite the investigation, they still wanted to show support.

“Yeah I saw that but I also saw that Nikko’s posted a Facebook update about how they were compliant with the police,” Destiny Ramsay said. “Everybody was just kind of downing on them so I just decided to show support.”

In a statement released Tuesday Nikko’s owner says, “We are a family owned business who serves the families of Pace. We can assure you that this was an isolated incident that in no way reflects our service as a whole.”

Pensacola resident Daz Frye says the owner should be transparent with the community.

“It’s a family owned restaurant, it’s their business, it’s their employees, so they’re the ones who should at the end of the day be making a public statement,” Fry said.

Ramsey also came in with her boyfriend.

He says the blame shouldn’t be placed on the owner.

“The owners probably aren’t the ones that have to do with it you know. It’s probably not their fault,” he said. “They’re just working like everyone else is. They can’t micro manage their workers.”

The owner also said in the statement, “We will continue to cooperate with authorities to find out how this happened, and how to ensure that it will not happen again.”

Gwyn Milstid who lives in Pace says trust will have to be rebuilt and hope the business can recover.

“If they feel you can trust the place even though something unfortunate did happen there, if they trust the place feel free to support them,” Milstid said. “You take your chances anywhere you go, it’s rolling the dice.”

FOX 10 News also got word that three of the customers who were treated at the ER Friday night will share their stories Wednesday.

All three are represented by a Pensacola lawyer.

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