A new food service establishment that has never served food must score 100 (A) to receive a food service permit to operate. When a restaurant changes ownership, a new food service permit must be issued. To be issued a food service permit for a change of ownership, the establishment must score a 95 (A) or above with all Foodborne Illness Risk factors and Public Health Interventions in compliance. Permits must be posted in public view at all times. Food service establishments with drive-through windows will also be required to have the top one-third of a copy of the most current inspection report visible through each window allowing customers to easily read the score, date of inspection and establishment information, in addition to the copy posted inside the establishment. Copies of the new rules are available at the Hall County Environmental health Office. The rules and regulations are also available online at health.state.ga.us/programs/envservices/index.asp.
To register a complaint against a food service establishment, contact the Hall County Environmental Health Department at 770-531-3973.
April 8
Fat Joe’s Famous Philly’s & Wings
1039 Athens St., Gainesville
Score: 80, Grade: B
Hands being rinsed in three-compartment sink. Food handler handling cooked chicken with bare hands. Hands being rinsed/washed in three-compartment sink. Food handler not wearing hair restraint. Vegetables that require washing being served without a separate vegetable sink for the preparation/washing of these vegetables being present in the establishment. No thermometer available to monitor food temperatures. No chlorine test strips available to monitor sanitizer strength.
Inspector: Laurie Wentworth
April 16
Smoky Springs Retirement Center
940 South Enota Drive, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Utensils stored with food residue — drawers holding utensils and stem thermometers with debris. Foods uncovered and stacked uncovered. Repeat violation: Cloths not in sanitizer and level is too low. Teflon coated pans that are peeling and cracked/chipped tops to bulk food containers need replacing. Sides of fryers, backsplash behind fryers and vents in hood system with grease buildup and need to be cleaned. Floors underneath fryers, grill and under dishtable need to be cleaned better.
Inspector: Donna Black
Limestone Heritage
2560 Flint Ridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Open cans of Cokes sitting on prep tables.
Inspector: Black
April 17
Flowery Branch High School
4450 Hog Mountain Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Martin Elementary
4216 Martin Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Smokehouse Catering
3205 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Canned drink, bottled water in prep area for consumption. Repeat violation: Pan with overflowing amount of chopped pork prepared in morning covered and put in cooler to cool. Public restroom without toilet paper. Repeat violation: Dumpster missing drain plug to prevent liquids from seeping out and insects, rodents from entering dumpster. Dumpster on gravel. Floors throughout establishment need repair and cleaning, especially in corners under equipment. Walls with food splatters behind serving steam table. Wood baseboards need sealing at floor juncture. Flies in establishment, possibly entering around back door; damaged screening.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 20
Chili’s Grill & Bar
5851 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 92, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Knives, containers, choppers, scoops, etc. with food residue; all kitchenware being rewashed. Insides of reach-in freezer, carts and shelves with food residue. Floors in walk-in freezer and underneath equipment need cleaning; walls at food prep areas with food splatter. Hats stored on top of ice cream machine.
Inspector: Black
Laurelwood/Northeast Georgia Medical Center
200 Wisteria Drive, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Sanitizer solution (quats) for food contact surfaces not a required manufacturer’s concentration; did not register prior to sanitizing contact surfaces or slicer.
Inspector: Shelby Finch
Lanier Elementary School
4782 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 94, Grade: A
Equipment food contact surfaces (meat slicer) and utensils (knife and pan) had been stored in with food debris. Hood system, AC vent and window screens had accumulated dust. Floor beneath unused skillet needs to be cleaned frequently and thoroughly to prevent accumulation of food debris and attraction of insects, rodents.
Inspector: Finch
April 21
PMTD Restaurants LLC — DBA KFC (Oakwood)
3711 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood
Score: 93, Grade: A
Cloths not stored in sanitizer solution between uses and cloths stored in solution had accumulated food debris dirtying water. Reach-in cooler gasket detached from door and threshold to walk-in cooler is raised above the floor. Repeat violation: Shelves, backsplash on grill, insides of coolers, and freezers had accumulated food debris, grease and dust. Repeat violation: Ceiling tiles, vents and floors had accumulation of dust or food debris.
Inspector: Finch
Gourmet Services, Inc (Gainesville State College)
3820 Mundy Mill Road, Gainesville
Score: 86, Grade: B
Equipment and utensils (slicer, whisk, ladle, and pans) had food debris. Chemical containers used for cleaning not labeled. Expired sour cream in walk-in cooler. Cloths used for wiping counters not stored in sanitizer between uses.
Inspector: Finch
Mount Vernon Elementary
4844 Jim Hood Road, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Slicer with some dried food (turkey) on top edge of blade holder. Ranch dressing made April 14 should have been used or discarded by April 20.
Inspector: Wentworth
North Hall Middle School
4856 Rilla Road, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Newly installed light in hot pass-through unit (right side facing serving line) is not shielded by the fixture or shatterproof bulb. Slicer blade with residue from turkey sliced yesterday.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 22
Sardis Elementary
2805 Sardis Road, Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Baked beans in hot pass through not holding at required 135 degrees F.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 23
Metro Extended Stay
1115 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Canteen Corrections
622 Main Street, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Pizza K
6168 Gaines Ferry Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 99, Grade: A
Replace electrical outlet cover on wall behind dough mixer, repair/replace floor tiles in dry storage to prevent water accumulation, and repair wall near mop/broom holder in dry storage.
Inspector: Finch
White Sulphur Elementary
2480 Old Cornelia Highway, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Make sure products for cooling are stored in shallow pans or spread out in bags and are loosely covered or bags unsealed to allow heat to escape. Make sure sanitizer solution for table is changed out frequently to keep up proper level, 200 ppm quat.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 24
Holiday Inn Lanier Center Hotel
400 E.E. Butler Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 98, Grade: A
No screens on windows that open.
Inspector: Black
River Forks Park & Campground
3500 Keith Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Julie’s Helados
1714 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville
Score: 99, Grade: A
Clean floors better where debris has accumulated.
Inspector: Black
The Bright Spot
743 Spring Street, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Little Caesars
3885 Mundy Mill Road Suite 106, Oakwood
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
West Hall Middle School
5470 McEver Road, Oakwood
Score: 93, Grade: A
The temperature of the fresh hot water sanitizing rinse measured at the manifold (where it is pumped into machine and this temperature registers on gauge) is over 194 degrees F specified in rules — measures 198 degrees F, 200 degrees F. Milk boxes with crates stacked right up to compressor possibly not allowing good air flow and milk crates stacked so high that milk may not be totally in box.
Inspector: Wentworth
Flowery Branch Elementary
5533 Radford Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 96, Grade: A
Walk-in cooler evaporator with drip pan. Milk box being left open too long between meal periods to allow for unit to “catch-up” on temperature.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 28
Waffle House No. 885
2507 Pentee Drive, Gainesville
Score: 97, Grade: A
Knives stored in-between top of prep cooler. Repeat violation: Flooring that has been placed on top of tile floor (used for traction) is damaged.
Inspector: Black
Biba’s Italian Restaurant
833 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Pastas, egg plant, cheese and other foods in prep cooker overnight with temperatures 49-52 degrees. Insides of bread proofers, warming drawers, oven, sides of stove and fryers with grease, food debris.
Inspector: Black
Todino’s Pizza
150 Pearl Nix Parkway No. E6, Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
Cup without lids. No dates on ready to eat foods. Breads stored in plastic to go bags. Cloths laying on counter tops. Current inspection must stay posted on front counter so that customers can see score.
Inspector: Black
Backyard Burgers
4942 Bristol Industrial Way, Buford
Score: 98, Grade: A
Better cleaning needs to be done under self-serve soda dispensers in dining room, counter tops, and all cooler door gaskets. Inside cabinets under self-serve soda dispenser also need good cleaning inside. Floor needs cleaning under soda dispenser in drive-thru. SS wall needs cleaning behind fryers. SS joint covers need to be refastened where SS wall covering meets behind cook lines. More detail cleaning needed under equipment in cook, kitchen area before opening.
Inspector: Wentworth
World Language Academy at Chestnut Mountain
4670 Winder Highway, Flowery Branch
Score: 93, Grade: A
Visible growth of mold on baffle of ice machine. The back sides of all pass-through handles (especially swing line side) with accumulation of food debris (dried). Dumpster closest to building appears to have a couple of leaks in front of it. Floor needs better cleaning under steamer and steamer drain pipe that sits on floor. Floor needs cleaning — trash removal — rags, lint, etc. that is wedged between washer/dryer and wall. Lighting under serving line is not properly shielded.
Inspector: Wentworth
Chicopee Woods Elementary
2029 Calvary Church Road, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
April 29
Pizings Wings and Things Cafe
4977 Friendship Road, Buford
Score: 95, Grade: A
Chicken stored in plastic to go bags and ice put in to go bags laying on top of foods. Singler service cups on floor in dry storage area. Replace couple of damaged ceiling tiles in dry storage; repair loose, damaged coved baseboard in bar area. Personal items stored with items for customer.
Inspector: Black
Comfort Inn and Suites at Lake Lanier
4951 Bristal Industrial Way, Buford
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Chestatee Middle School
2740 Fran Mar Drive, Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Slicer with dried food debris on back of blade cradle. Milk stored higher in milk box struggling to maintain required 41 degrees F or below.
Inspector: Wentworth
Chestatee High School
3005 Sardis Road, Gainesville
Score: 97, Grade: A
Milk in milk boxes struggling to maintain temperature of 41 degrees or less. Boxes are open extended periods of time.
Inspector: Wentworth
April 30
Frances Meadows Aquatic and Community Center
1545 Community Way, N.E., Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Bayou Seafood, Chicken, & Steaks
420 Wall Street, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Wendy’s No. 19
587 South Enota Drive, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Fan in drive-through with large dust accumulation that can blow onto food, food contact surfaces. Repeat violation: Lexan containers in sanitizer (after washing and sanitizing) and some stored above three-compartment sink with buildup of grease inside. Chopper used for cucumbers with dried seeds and skin on blade.
Inspector: Wentworth
Tadmore Elementary
3278 Gillsville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Megan Gill