Restaurant health report: see how your favorites stack up

Rachel Jones
November 1, 2011

Violation Cheat Sheet:

Management and Personnel

2.2 Personal Cleanliness

2.3 Hygienic Practices

Food

3.2 Protection from Contamination after Receiving

3.4 Limitation of Growth of Organisms

3.5 Identity, Presentation, on Premises Labeling

Equipment, Utensils and Linens

4.1 Design and Construction

4.4 Maintenance and Operation

4.5 Cleaning of Equipment and Utensils

4.6 Sanitizing of Equipment and Utensils

Water, Plumbing and Waste

5.1 Plumbing System

5.4 Refuse, Recyclables, and Returnables

Physical Facilities

6.1 Design, Construction, and Installation

6.2 Numbers and Capacities

6.3 Location and Placement

6.4 Maintenance and Operation

Poisonous or Toxic Materials

7.1 Operational Supplies and Applications

The inspection process:

Every restaurant has something it’s known for: amazing pizza, comfy booths, margarita specials, etc.

But the one thing restaurants do not want to be known for is violations during health inspections.

Jonnette Demboski, public health sanitarian for the City of Kent Health Department, has been conducting health inspections in Kent for the last four-and-a-half years.

“There’s no special procedure or guideline that you use,” Demboski said. “Everyone kind of does their own thing differently.”

The inspections begin with a dumpster check as the inspector pulls into the lot and covers several areas, including facility cleanliness, staff hygiene, facility maintenance, expiration date labels and temperatures in warmers and coolers.

If something is held cold, it must be 41 degrees or below. If it is held hot, it must be 135 degrees or above.

“The danger zone between 41 and 135 is where bacteria like to grow,” Demboski explained.

Restaurants where food is heated up, cooled down then reheated the next day are known as risk level fours. They receive two different types of inspections: standard and critical control point.

“Two standard inspections are given where we go in unexpectedly,” Demboski said. “In a critical control point inspection, we schedule to sit down with the manager and discuss what they do and what their procedures are.”

All violations are written down and must be fixed in a timely manner. This is usually based on when the manager thinks the problem can be fixed.

Demboski said for urgent violations, such as a broken freezer, she will tell the manager not to use it until it’s fixed and she will return the next day to inspect it again.

Most violations are fixed by their deadline, but if a violation continues for a long time or multiple violations occur at once, the restaurant may have to meet with the health commissioner.

“I haven’t seen any instances where we’ve had to take anybody to court,” Demboski said. “If a place has repeated violations, especially repeated violations at the same time, we’ll call a conference with them and the health commissioner. We tell them this is the way it is, and if you don’t improve, we may have to do some education of your staff or education of you.”

If it continues, inspections that usually occur every three months may become a monthly event.

Top 5 – Most violations in 2011

China City

  • June 7 – 4.5 need to do a better job of cleaning outside of refrigerator and freezer; handles are sticky and outside has buildup of cooking oil, etc.; need to maintain cleanliness to prevent contamination of food when moving between food prep and touching equipment
  • 4.5 do a better job of cleaning rice cookers
  • 3.4 rice in steam table not reheated to 165 degrees first on reheat
  • Sept. 27 – 6.4 missing floor tiles in walk-in cooler (must be replaced to maintain cleanliness)
  • 3.2 discontinue use of cloths to cover food in coolers; use plastic wrap, foil or lids instead
  • 6.4 cleanliness of floor under grill area needs improved; cleanliness of shelves where dishes are kept on service counter needs improved; cleanliness near bar sink needs improved, rubber neck is mildewed

    Wendy’s

    • Jan. 3 – 3.4 cooler by grill not at proper temperature
    • 3.2 move product away from condensation in freezer
    • April 4 – 3.4 outdoor freezer doesn’t seem to work
    • Oct. 6 and July 5– 6.4 sewage odor in hallway by men’s room must be corrected by 11/14 or be found with noncompliance and be turned into Health Commissioner (final notice)

      LeDion’s Pizza

    • July 11 – 6.4 stained ceiling tiles and loose electrical outlet
    • April – 6.4 clean hood and kitchen floor
    • 6.2 put toilet paper in bathrooms
    • 2.3 workers need to wear hair nets
    • 2.2 more kitchen hand washing

      *The numbers next to the violation represent a specific code. Refer to the Violation Cheat Sheet for an explanation of the code.

      #KWrestaurant

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      Other Restaurants with Violations:

      Bistro on Main

    • April 12 – 6.1/6.4 water damaged ceiling tiles and missing light shields and missing floor tiles
    • 3.4 temperature control

      Bob Evans

    • May 20 – 3.4 coolers across grill wrong temperature

      Buffalo Wild Wings

    • June 22 – 3.4 both prep coolers reading on high side (47 degrees and 50 degrees); temperature dial on cooler by toaster was turned down (not cold enough setting)
    • 3.4 cooler by sauce rack backing 52 degrees (needs to maintain 41 degrees or below) do not use until 41 degrees or below
    • Sept. 20 – 4.4 ice machine gasket is loose and hanging
    • 4.4 cutting boards on prep cooler are deeply scored and need replaced
    • 3.4 be consistent about date-making

      Burger King on S. Water

    • July 8 – 4.5 ice machine mildew, light on hash round hot holding, vent needs cleaned

      Cajun Daves

    • July 8 – 3.5 need more consistent food labels (had some date prepared and some date to discard, they should all be date to discard)

      Chipotle

    • June 10 – 4.1 all coolers need thermometers
    • Sept. 20 – 6.4 need clean dumpster area

      Eastway Café

    • Jan. 24 – 3.4 omelet station seven degrees warmer than it needs to be

      Guy’s Pizza

    • May 5 – 6.4 clean hood, 3.4 hot holding not maintaining temperature
    • Aug. 19 – 3.4 fix prep cooler, 4.1 install thermometer in coolers

      Heavenly Cupcakes

    • June 28 – 3.4 fridge is four degrees warmer than it should be

      Ice Arena

    • March 7 – 4.1 need sanitizer test kit
    • Sept. 27 – 6.4 install hand sink, electrical outlet plate needs installed

      Jazzman’s at Student Center

    • Jan. 2 – 6.3 employee coat stored by products
    • Oct. 7 – 3.5 need book of ingredients

      Jimmy John’s

    • Jan. 26 – 7.1 all spray bottles must be labeled

      LaRoush

    • May 9 – 6.4 water damaged ceiling and broken floor tiles

      M.A.C.C. Concession Stand

    • Aug. 24 – 4.4 fix paper towel dispenser

      Mike’s Place

    • June 27 – 6.4 repair back screen door where ripped
    • Jan. 6 – 5.1 make toilet operable in employee restroom
    • 6.4 replace stained kitchen ceiling tiles
    • 3.2 keep storage off floor in walk-in cooler/freezer

      Papa John’s

    • Aug. 12 – 4.5/4.6 clean and sanitize can opener

      Ray’s Place

    • July 7 – 3.4 bar cooler under register 53 degrees, move any perishables such as milk from cooler and do not use perishables until cooler can maintain 41 degrees and below
    • 3.4 upright cooler in kitchen is 49 degrees, do not use until 41 degrees or below, discard any perishables
    • Jan. 13 – 2.3 bearded employees preparing food must wear beard nets
    • 3.4 date-making needs improved, food should always be marked with throw away date (six days after preparation date)

      Rockne’s

    • May 26 – 3.4 need discard date labeled, 4.5 remove excessive ice in back of cooler
    • July 26 – 4.4 ice machine door broken, 6.4 leak and broken lock in women’s locker room

      Summit St. Café

    • Jan. 27 – 2.3 workers must wear hairnets

      Taco Bell/Long John Silvers

    • Sept. 28 – 6.4 repair leaky ceiling

      Wild Goat’s Café – 8/25

    • Feb. 8 – 6.1 need light shields
    • Aug. 25 – 5.4 need covered receptacle in women’s restroom

      Stahl’s Bakery

    • June 21 – 6.4 clean floor
    • Sept. 30 – 6.4 replace ceiling tile

      Restaurants Given Suggestions:

      Brunos Pizza

    • need to clean hood over oven

      Burger King on E. Main

    • were keeping mayo and tater sauce at room temperature but that’s OK

      Penn Station

    • need to switch out weighing bowls

      Water Street Tavern

    • keep paper towels at all hand sinks; no cloth towels

      Restaurants with No Violations:

      Ambrosia

      M.A.C.C. (other two concession stands)

      Arby’s

      Main Street Continental Grill

      Damon’s

      McDonalds on S. Water

      Einstein’s

      Michael Schwartz

      El Dorado Pizza Pie

      Mr. Hero

      Five Guys

      Pita Pit

      Food 4 Thought

      Prentice Café

      Jazzman’s in Oscar Ritchie

      Pufferbelly

      Jazzman’s in Library

      Pulp

      Franklin Square Deli

      Scribbles Café

      Dairy Queen

      Second floor Student Center

      Starbucks

      Subway on S. Water

      Subway in Hub

      Taco Tontos

      Dominos

      Empire

      Hungry Howies

      Little Caesars

      Rosie’s

      Contact Rachel Jones at [email protected].