Salmonella findings leave bad taste in mouth of restaurant's new owner

The new owner of one of Brisbane's best Vietnamese restauarants is desperately trying to salvage its reputation, after being accused of poisoning eight customers with salmonella.

Maria Nguyen and her family bought the popular West End business Trang off David Duong after council health inspectors made the grim discovery last year.

The findings would put anyone off their meal: pigeons in the kitchen, black slime near food preparation areas and raw meat defrosting in boxes on the floor underneath dirty dishes.

"I feel misled. Absolutely, it's misleading," Ms Nguyen told 9NEWS.

She claims Duong never disclosed the serious health breaches when she took over the restaurant in June.

"I confronted him and said, 'I need to know'. And he said 'no, nothing's wrong'," she said.

Duong is now facing more than 50 food safety charges.

In a text message to Ms Nguyen today, Duong said the matter is nothing more than a "complicated misunderstanding".

Duong will face the Brisbane Magistrates Court next month.