The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Oct. 5-8 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.
Oct. 5
Buffalo's Cafe
3446 Winder Highway, Suite 101, Flowery Branch
Score: 86, Grade: B
Mold, mildew on soda guns in bar, soda diffuser nozzles on drink dispenser and cutting boards. Storage on floor in freezer, can holder on crate - no way to move it. Glasses stacked wet. Three-compartment sink and dirty side, clean side of warewasher no longer attached to wall. Warewasher needs cleaning inside and out. Grease container dripping. Walls in water heater closet rotted out at floor. Floors throughout, especially under, behind equipment need detailed cleaning. Cove molding throughout kitchen, in walk-in cooler, by warewasher coming away from walls. Ceiling tiles outside of office not aligned in grid. All hood systems dripping grease.
Inspector: Kathleen McDuffie
Oct. 6
Taqueria Las Palmas No. 2
1276 Industrial Blvd., Suite 1B, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Beef on stove with temps 108 - had been left on stove overnight on low burner to keep hot. Beef on table thawing in box. Walls and floors need cleaning at 3-compartment sink and prep sink area - ceilings are water damaged in restrooms and storage - repair.
Inspector: Donna Black
Zaxby's
995 Riverside Drive, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Mold, mildew on ice machine baffle. Wash, rinse, and sanitize frequently to prevent build up. Mold and mildew on coke machine nozzle area. Chicken at fry station not required temperature of 41 F or below (temped at 50 F, 58 F). Ice bath used to maintain new batch of chicken.
Inspector: Shelby Finch
Chestatee High School
3005 Sardis Road, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Laurie Wentworth
Cafe Merdal Gainesville
1112 Airport Parkway SW, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Hand sink at back with no hot water and told not being used. Cutting boards with debris, mold. Dishes being rinsed off and no sanitizing step. Inside of cabinets, door tracks, under grill with debris - clean all areas. Floors and walls dirty and need cleaned - floor damaged in kitchen and needs repairing.
Inspector: Black
El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
2888 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Employee drinking in kitchen out of regular cup. Several baskets, cutting boards, can opener with food debris. Tacos laying out on shelf underneath steam table. Cloths not in sanitizer and water dirty. Walls need repairing at dish area, near steam unit - paint flaking and moldy. Finish out opening where wall use to be at dish area - currently wall stud still showing. Floor tiles need to all be regrouted. Repair lights that are not working in bar area and dry storage.
Inspector: Black
Jay Lou's Restaurant
940 Pine St., Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
Mold, mildew on Coke machine nozzles and diffusers. Sausage, ham, hamburger meat and mushrooms not date labeled with seven-day discard date. Thermometer for measuring food temps not calibrated. Gaskets on double door and on make-line cooler are damaged. Areas under counter need resealing to make smooth, durable and nonabsorbent. Formica on counter scratched and piece exposed.
Inspector: Finch
Oven House Pizza
3904 Winder Highway, Suite B, Oakwood
Score: 62, Grade: U
No Certified Food Safety Manager on staff. Coke glass on prep table, partially consumed can of Red Bull in pizza make-line cooler. Pineapple, meatballs on pizza with yeast growth (spoilage). Prep tables all need a good cleaning and sanitizing. Hand can opener blade greasy, utensils stored with food debris on them; kitchenware still greasy after cleaning and sanitizing. Outdated prepped chicken, lasagna filling. Cloths storage container with dirty sanitizer solution at pizza dough table. Current inspection not posted in public view. Three-compartment sink bays all sealed with silicone that has allowed food, water to accumulate and mold. Many baby items in kitchen.
Inspector: Wentworth
Oct. 7
Quiznos Subs
417 Main St. SW, Gainesville
Score: 99, Grade: A
Replace missing ceiling tiles near walk-in cooler in back kitchen.
Inspector: Finch
Burger and Shake III
1730 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: McDuffie
Rice
3885 Mundy Mill Road, Suite 104, Oakwood
Score: 83, Grade: B
Prepared broccoli (washed and cut) stored back in shipping box. Manual dishwashing set-up incorrectly - rinsing off sanitizer before air drying. Vegetable sink being used to wash meat and shrimp (seafood) also. Cut off top half of plastic bottle being used to scoop rice.
Inspector: Wentworth
Pizza Hut
1398 Thompson Bridge, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Hand sink not attached to wall. Warewasher requires detailed cleaning inside and out. Cove tiles and several large areas on floor have lost grout, leaving large gaps where water, grease and food debris accumulate - floors and tiles need to be resealed. Floors under, behind equipment need better cleaning. Floors under hot and cold buffet cabinets have food debris, etc.
Inspector: McDuffie
McEver Elementary
3265 Montgomery Drive, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Slime mold growth on back side (guides) of plastic ice machine baffel.
Inspector: Wentworth
Oct. 8
Starbuck's Coffee Company
821 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: McDuffie
Jennifer Messer