The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Aug. 28 - Sept. 4 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 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.
Aug. 28
Mama Ruth’s 804 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville Score: 100, Grade: A Inspector: Kathleen McDuffie
Aug. 29
Lanier Village Estates Inc. 4000 Village View Drive, Gainesville Score: 95, Grade: A Accumulation of mold/mildew on soda dispensers, cutting boards and ice machine baffles. Ware washers are borderline for temperature and sanitization pressure. Inspector: McDuffie
La Parrilla Mexican 3446 Winder Highway, Flowery Branch Score: 99, Grade: A Gaskets on make lines have an accumulation of food debris, some are damaged. Inspector: McDuffie
Sept. 2
El Sombrero No. 5 3640 Mundy Mill Road, Gainesville Score: 100, Grade: A Inspector: McDuffie
Outback Steakhouse 655 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville Score: 92, Grade: A Soda dispenser nozzles and one soda gun had a slight accumulation of mold/mildew. Walk-in cooler is struggling to maintain required temperature. Gaskets on some coolers have mold/mildew and food debris; some are damaged. Inspector: McDuffie
Monterrey Mexican Restaurant 5745 Old Winder Highway, Braselton Score: 82, Grade: B Can opener, slicer blade, blender with food residue. Beans and ground beef in walk-in cooler with temperatures 48-57 degrees. Food handlers wearing bracelets and watches. Cloths used to wipe food contact surfaces being stored in dirty water and some cloths not in sanitizer. Condensate leak in make-line cooler. Replace missing test strips used for quat sanitizer at three-compartment sink. Walls need cleaning behind bag in box and dishmachine area. Coved tile baseboard missing at corner near prep table which is allowing water to pool in this area; a cloth is being used to soak up water. Inspector: Donna Black
Waffle House No. 1688 2880 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville Score: 94, Grade: A Soft drink nozzles had a slight accumulation of mold/mildew. Pans stored in drawer without being washed, rinsed and sanitized. Most gaskets on upright coolers are damaged. Dumpster open. Grease container has grease on the outside. Inspector: McDuffie
Sept. 3
Taquiera El Mirador Mobile No. 3 2275 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville Score: 54, Grade: U Only employee on site does not have the required basic knowledge for food handling. Employee handling food without washing hands or putting on gloves. Hand sink blocked. Cutting board has mold/mildew. Foods not heated to 165 degrees F. Foods not held at 41 degrees or below. Foods not held at 135 degrees or above. Coolers are struggling to maintain required temperatures. Employee preparing food on mobile unit. Inspector: McDuffie
Third Coast Grille Inc. 5390 Friendship Road, Buford Score: 92, Grade: A Repeat violation: Mold/mildew on drink dispenser nozzles, soda guns, ice maker baffle and cutting boards. Pans and utensils stored wet. Gaskets on some coolers have an accumulation of food debris and mold/mildew; some gaskets are damaged. Inspector: McDuffie
Lefty’s BBQ 4965 Friendship Road, Buford Score: 99, Grade: A Gaskets on all coolers/freezers are damaged, and have a build up of food debris and mold/mildew. Inspector: McDuffie
Morningside Assisted Living 2435 Limestone Parkway, Gainesville Score: 79, Grade: C Can opener stored with dried food debris. Three-door cooler struggling to maintain required temperatures. Ground beef, cooked ham and raw beef thawing at room temperature. Cleaning products on counter with food. Gaskets on coolers have an accumulation of mold/mildew and food debris; some gaskets damaged. No sanitizer test strips for ware washer. Floors and walls have a buildup of mold/mildew, dirt, grease, etc, especially under equipment and in corners; cove molding is separated from floor/wall. Inspector: McDuffie
Waffle House No. 885 2507 Pentee Drive, Gainesville Score: 83, Grade: B Omelet cups, spoons in basket over grill, waffle makers in back with food residue. Bleach in spray bottles too high. Ham, tomatoes, diced ham in cooler with temperatures 48-56 degrees. Drawer/make-line cooler with internal temperatures of 47-57 degrees. Floors need better cleaning beside ice machine and in walk-in cooler and freezer. Flooring that has been placed on top of tile floor (used for traction) is becoming damaged and pitted. Inspector: Black
Eat at Thai 975 Dawsonville Highway No. 7, Gainesville Score: 100, Grade: A Inspector: Black
Domino’s Pizza 2550 A Limestone Parkway, Gainesville Score: 87, Grade: B Ready-to-eat foods (chicken wings, etc.) that are held longer than 24 hours need to have a seven-day expiration date marked on item. Single-service cups stored on top and around paint can stored underneath back sink area. Sides to top half of counter at prep area are peeling, exposing raw wood underneath. Test strips missing that are used to check sanitizer levels. Large gap at front doors where weather stripping is missing, allowing flies to enter. Inspector: Black
Sept. 4
Pizings Wings and Things Cafe 4977 Friendship Road, Buford Score: 95, Grade: A Cloths not staying in sanitizer between uses. Top to home-style chest freezer missing and home made top put in place. This top is accumulating water and dripping onto glasses below when opened. Teflon coating on pans peeling. Chlorine test strips for dishmachine and sanitizer buckets missing. Small fridge at bar with spills and door gasket moldy. Inspector: Black
Daily News Diner 120 Bradford St., Gainesville Score: 97, Grade: A Make-line cooler struggling to maintain temperatures. Inspector: McDuffie
Westminister Christian School 1397 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville Score: 100, Grade: A Inspector: McDuffie
The Lunch Box 922 Gainesville Highway, Suite 104, Buford Score: 91, Grade: A Kitchenware not being properly sanitized. Slicer stored with food debris after cleaning and sanitizing. Chubs of luncheon meat opened for slicing, but not dated with seven-day discard date. Barewood cabinet used as front counter needs to be painted to seal wood from soaking up mop water and the cabinet needs to be sealed to the floor to keep food/water from accumulating underneath. Inspector: Laurie Wentworth
AJ’s Food Fun and Friends 322 Spring Street, Gainesville Score: 90, Grade: A No paper towels at hand sink. Repeat violation: can opener has dried food debris, cutting boards have an accumulation of mold/mildew. Inspector: McDuffie
Friendship Cafe 4360 Friendship Road, Buford Score: 96, Grade: A Cloths used to wipe food contact surfaces not being stored in sanitizer. Floor near wall in storage room is caved in, showing dirt floor underneath. Inspector: Black Megan Gill