The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Aug. 20-24 by the Hall County Environmental Health Department. Food service establishments are 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 are conducted based on risk categorization. The risk type is 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 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. 25
Taqueria Silao
1710 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
No CFSM in establishment. Foods stored in and next to hand sink. Single-service items stored directly on top of personal items. Floors in cracks and underneath counter with food, grease residue. Numerous roaches seen throughout kitchen.
Inspector: Donna Black
Happy Chef
4025 Winder Highway, Suite 290, Flowery Branch
Score: 85, Grade: B
Bottle of water on prep table in kitchen. Drains of hand sinks clogged with meat pieces. Slicer not cleaned properly after use — food debris under knife sharpener and blade greasy. Knives stored on magnetic rack with food debris on them. Slicer rinsed at dishwasher pre-wash and put back together for next use. Whole chickens being thawed in standing water in wash compartment of three-compartment sink. To-go container of lemons stored in ice bin of ice machine. A splashguard needs to be installed either on vegetable sink itself (right side) or all the way along shelf (top to bottom). Cloths used to wipe food contact surfaces not being stored in sanitizer between uses. Vegetable sink used to clean food debris of outside of pans and to rinse hands. Clean side of dishwasher drainboard with accumulation of food debris. Shelving above three-compartment sink sticky, greasy. Hood vents beginning to drip grease.
Inspector: Laurie Wentworth
Ocean’s Paradise Seafood & Grill
5466 McEver Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Aug. 26
Starbuck’s Coffee Company
821 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Kathleen McDuffie
Hibachi Buffet
1500 Browns Bridge Road, Suite 117, Gainesville
Score: 93, Grade: A
Pans, utensils stored wet. Gaskets on several coolers damaged. Equipment, tables, shelves and gaskets on all coolers need detailed cleaning. Drain plug missing from cardboard Dumpster. Both Dumpsters open. Floor throughout needs detailed cleaning. Roaches in box under shelving.
Inspector: McDuffie
Fuji Hibachi Express
229 E.E. Butler Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Table at front cook line for extra cooking utensil storage and vegetable storage for cooking at grill is too long to allow for easy accessibility to front line hand sink between table and sink. A table half that size is needed to keep sink accessible. Egg rolls made Monday in walk-in cooler without date marking.
Inspector: Wentworth
RICE
3885 Mundy Mill Road, Suite 104, Oakwood
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Peking Garden
7338 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 78, Grade: C
Bottles of water in kitchen for food employees and stored on back prep table. Hand sink blocked with trash can and sauce container lid in hand sink. Broccoli cleaned and chopped and stored back in shipping box, fried noodles stored in cut-off cardboard box after frying. Three-compartment sink set-up without sanitizer. Knives, cleavers, vegetable chopper, can opener (hand crank) all stored with dried food debris. Cleaver used, scrubbed (without soap) and rinsed, without sanitizing before storage on magnetic knife holder. Box of wrapped (wax wrap) fried noodles stored close enough to front hand sink to be splashed by handwashing. Leftover breading (dry) for chicken on shelf from yesterday. Rice scoop stored in standing water. Spoons and forks at self-service area are not properly stored for handling by customers — knives, forks, spoons that are prewrapped shall be presented so only handles are touched. Three-compartment sink set up and being used to wash utensils without soap (detergent) in wash compartment.
Inspector: Wentworth
Biscuit Shop
1724 Parkhill Place, Gainesville
Score: 85, Grade: B
Bottles of water in cook area for drinks. Sanitizer solution without measurable sanitizer in container. Cloths not always being returned to sanitizer bucket after use. Old food can being used as biscuit cutter for scrap dough. Gloves not always being changed between tasks. Cold water faucet has need of a new washer so cold water has been shut off until washer replaced. Floors still need a thorough cleaning in kitchen along baseboard and under all equipment, at front counter and hutch (coffee station) — wall behind biscuit table needs good cleaning and repainting, resurfacing. Back window screen open with fan partially in window at start of inspection — keep screen closed. Screen has several holes that can allow insect entry.
Inspector: Wentworth
Aug. 27
Salsa Grill
4251 Winder Highway, Flowery Branch
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: McDuffie
Aug. 30
Schlotzsky’s Deli
302 Broad St., Suite A, Gainesville
Score: 76, Grade: C
Hand sink blocked with tray. Pizzas directly on wire shelving which is not clean and is not a food contact surface. Large accumulation of mold, mildew on ice maker baffle and all in-use cutting boards. Pans, utensils, etc. stored wet. Gaskets on some make lines and walk-in are damaged. Equipment on some make lines and walk in are damaged. Equipment in kitchen all needs exterior surfaces cleaned ASAP; make line gaskets have food debris. Floors, walls and ceilings need detailed cleaning.
Inspector: McDuffie
Morningside Assisted Living Facility
2435 Limestone Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: McDuffie
La Bamba
2052 Candler Highway, Gainesville
Score: 89, Grade: B
Employee only rinsed hands in sink, went back to touching raw meat then wiped off hands with cloth after handling meat. Cove baseboard still missing underneath prep sink area — replace and clean grease on floor underneath grill area.
Inspector: Black
Aug. 31
Subway
1260 Candler Highway, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Cloth laying on prep table. Clean ceiling tiles and lights over line area that have dust — clean floors better beside hand sink. Keep all office items and personal items in a designated area away from items for restaurant.
Inspector: Black
Sept. 1
Starbucks
3630 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 99, Grade: A
Shelves in cabinets and area underneath 3-comp sink needs to be free of residue.
Inspector: Black
Pueblos Mexican Cuisine
3630 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Foods in prep cooler 66-67 degrees and stored overnight. Walk-in cooler dripping condensate onto floor.
Inspector: Black
Sept. 2
Riverbend Elementary
1742 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Hot water sanitizing dish machine final rinse pressure too high. Fan attached to wall in dishroom over clean side of dish table needs a good dusting.
Inspector: Wentworth
China Gourmet
150 Pearl Nix Parkway, Suite E8, Gainesville
Score: 86, Grade: B
Cooked chicken, cut and ready to be reheated and vegetables left in fryer baskets on prep table with temperatures from 71 degrees to 94 degrees. If choosing to use time and not temperature to monitor foods on steam line, must have a written procedure (plan) and keep records. Food handlers with bracelets and watches. Walk-in cooler door damaged. Hood vents with large grease accumulation. Shelving in cook area with food debris. Many places in kitchen where tile baseboard is damaged allowing for food to accumulate behind tiles for insect, rodent attraction. Wall beside cook line with heavy accumulation of grease dripped all the way to the floor. Floor/wall juncture needs better cleaning under cook line. Seal gap at cooler/floor juncture (all the way around).
Inspector: Wentworth
Jennifer Messer