The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Aug. 7-14 by the Hall County Environmental Health Department. New rules and regulations for food service began on Dec. 1, 2007. Food service establishments will now be given a letter grade that coincides with a percentile: "A" (90-100), "B" (80-89), "C" (70-79), "U" 69 and below. Inspections (frequency of) a food service establishment will be conducted based on risk categorization. The risk type shall be determined by the menu items served, the food preparation processed performed, and the previous food safety history in the food service establishment.
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.
To register a complaint against a food service establishment, contact the Hall County Environmental Health Department at 770-531-3973.
Aug. 10
Red Lobster
1707 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Food not covered. Two soda guns in bar have mold, mildew. Food marked Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 out of date. Fish being prepped out of temperature at 60-68 F. Gaskets have a buildup of food debris, etc. Both dumpsters open. Grease container dripping onto ground in dumpster enclosure. Garbage and trash on the ground in dumpster enclosure.
Inspector: Kathleen McDuffie
El Sombrero Mexican Restaurant
891 Dawsonville Highway, Suite 110, Gainesville
Score: 83, Grade: B
Food uncovered. Food cooling since 12 a.m. Aug. 8 still has not reached required temperature. Not all foods are date marked.
Inspector: McDuffie
Folks
1500 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Walk-in cooler failed; all foods out of temperature, except frozen items thawing. Gaskets torn on some coolers.
Inspector: McDuffie
Los Carrillo’s Restaurant
503 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Cabbage and tortillas stored with cloths touching foods. Rings, bracelets and fingernail polish on hands. Utensils being stored hanging near, in hand sink area.
Inspector: Black
Taqueria Las Palmas
1276 Industrial Blvd., Suite 1B, Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
Foods not dated. Spices and beef stored in plastic trash bags. Cloths used to wipe food contact surfaces must be stored in sanitizer between uses. Four door cooler struggling to maintain 41 degrees or below — leak in bottom. Insides of chest freezer and homestyle freezer need cleaned. Grease container on grass needs to be moved to pavement. Repair floor where holes are burned into floor. Window open in back kitchen with no screen.
Inspector: Black
Texas Roadhouse
895 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
Repeat violation: lettuce chopper, veggie press, and lemon wedger have dried food debris, residue and buildup on bar dispenser nozzle and holder, grime along interior of ice machine — drink dispenser nozzle areas have buildup. Condenser box leaking onto boxes of potatoes and walk-in freezer condenser leaking onto bag of ice. Potatoes prepped in same sink used to prep raw animal foods. Repeat violation: Cloths sitting out on countertops or submerged in soap buckets. Grease and food debris around dumpster area and grease container. Repeat violation: Floors under shelves in server section need better cleaning. Replace missing shields and end caps on lights in back storage area.
Inspector: Lydia Hoffhines
Subway
5160 A Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Employee returning to work from outside and beginning food prep tasks without washing hands.
Inspector: Hoffhines
Aug. 11
Sakura
1435 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 85, Grade: B
Knife being rinsed off with cloth in hand sink. Foods in walk in cooler 52-56 degrees. A procedure and time log needs to be written for sushi rice that is stored out of temperature. Knife stored in between cooler and table. Walk in cooler at 56 degrees. Keep all shelves and underneath cabinets clean.
Inspector: Black
Joe Muggs at Books a Million
150 Pearl Nix Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Employee with fingernail polish. Clean floors better underneath and behind equipment to prevent buildup.
Inspector: Black
Starbucks
3630 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Dishes being sanitized in water without sanitizer; bottle of sanitizer missing. Debris on floors behind coolers and underneath cabinets on floors.
Inspector: Black
Dairy Spot
4841 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Keep wiping cloths fully submerged in sanitizer solution between uses. Use scoops with handles and keep handle end out of bulk foods.
Inspector: Hoffhines
Aug. 12
Free Chapel Worship Center
3001 McEver Road, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Handsink blocked by kitchenware in back area. Cloths laying on tables and solution dirty in buckets. Floors with food debris behind fryers; floors, wall in dishroom underneath dishmachine moldy; floor beside fryers damaged.
Inspector: Black
Country Road Buffet
1703 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
No dates on foods. Floors need cleaned underneath fryers and other equipment; replace broken wall tiles behind fryer. Back wall next to back door is cracked, peeling paint and sheetrock falling off.
Inspector: Black
Popeyes Fried Chicken
821 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Cups in kitchen without lid and straw. Paper towels must be provided in ladies restroom since handle has to be touched on door to open it — currently there is only a hand dryer. Grease accumulation on floor underneath fryers.
Inspector: Black
Church’s Fried Chicken
600 E.E. Butler Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 98, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Trash on ground and in hole behind dumpster.
Inspector: McDuffie
Burger King — Thompson Bridge
P.O. Box 6305, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Mold, mildew on ice machine baffle and soft drink dispenser nozzles at drive-thru window.
Inspector: McDuffie
Ming’s Buffet
150 Pearl Nix Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 99, Grade: A
Floors need better cleaning. No light in dry storage.
Inspector: McDuffie
Mrs. Winners Chicken & Biscuits
719 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 81, Grade: B
Food uncovered. Repeat violation: Mold, mildew on soda dispenser nozzles. Walk-in cooler failing. Repeat violation: Gasket on walk-in cooler damaged. Repeat violation: Grease receptable leaking onto ground. Grout missing from many areas and cove tile not sealed throughout kitchen.
Inspector: McDuffie
Lanier Diner
1310 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 89, Grade: B
Roast cooked last night in cooler over six hours at 51 degrees. Lasagna cooked last night 53 degrees. Hot water is not consistent.
Inspector: Wentworth
Firehouse Subs
333 Shallowford Road, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Slicer with dried food debris on blade cradle (all the way around). Tomato wedger with dried tomato skins on blades. Repeat violation: Lexan containers washed, rinsed and sanitized stacked with water accumulating on the edges (flange of containers).
Inspector: Wentworth