The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Oct. 24-Nov. 7 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.
Oct. 24
West Hall Middle School
5470 McEver Road, Oakwood
Score: 90, Grade: A
Several gaskets damaged on hot pass-through doors. Chicken nuggets held in hot-holding pass-through (end left unit if facing from kitchen side) not maintaining 135 degrees or required for hot-holding.
Inspector: Laurie Wentworth
Oct. 27
Turnstile Deli
109 Green St., Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Repeat violation: Soups made in-house stored in walk-in cooler from Oct. 17. Cole slaw labeled with incorrect date in reach-in cooler. Many containers of food in front reach-in cooler made previous days do not have date labels. Bulk sugar scoop doesn’t have a handle. Cardboard boxes stored on floor in dry storage. Floors, walls, and ceilings throughout kitchen and storage areas need repair. Ceiling tiles torn in dry storage and water damaged in areas of kitchen.
Inspector: Lydia Hoffman
Scott’s on the Square
110 Main St., Gainesville
Score: 85, Grade: B
Employee prepping lettuce with bare hands. Employee plating sandwich buns and potato chips with bare hands. Sack of onions stored on floor. Knife stored in sanitizer bucket used to hold cloths. Repeat violation: No test strips for sanitizer available.
Inspector: Hoffman
Burger and Shake II
5866 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 93, Grade: A
Foods not being labeled and dated with a seven-day expiration date. Onions being stored underneath three-compartment sink; raw eggs on top of ready-to-eat foods. Store onions in a different location and store raw eggs underneath ready-to-eat foods. Personal items (jackets, lotions, glasses, etc.) being stored next to and on top of items used for customer.
Inspector: Donna Black
Gainesville Bowling Center
2371 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Foods not being labeled and dated with a seven-day expiration date.
Inspector: Black
East Hall Middle School
4120 East Hall Road, Gainesville
Score: 92, Grade: A
Scoops, hotel pans and strainers stored with dried food debris. Boxes of single-serve items (bi-fold containers) stored on floor in back of dry storage. Hardboiled eggs prepared this morning put in two-door cooler for cooling, but this cooler struggles with temperature when opened frequently and warm items, tea are stored inside.
Inspector: Wentworth
Oct. 28
Whitworth Inn
6593 McEver Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Black
Flowery Branch Elementary
5544 Radford Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 93, Grade: A
Sanitizer level not up to manufacturer’s required amount (200 ppm) in three-compartment sink and containers filled from three-compartment sink. Potatoes being washed in power wash of four-compartment sink. Already prepared foods being thawed for use with incorrect use-by dates.
Inspector: Wentworth
West Hall High School
5500 McEver Road, Oakwood
Score: 96, Grade: A
Slicer with dried food debris on blade guard and robo coup with dried food in chute.
Inspector: Wentworth
Oct. 30
Courtyard Restaurant
400 E.E. Butler Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Employee eating in kitchen at prep table and drinking from cup without straw and lid. Foods not being labeled and dated. Inside of coolers and outsides of some equipment with food residue.
Inspector: Black
Metro Extended Stay
1115 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 96, Grade: A
Shower curtains with mold/mildew need to be changed out. Clean toilets after each guest checks out. Walls and carpets with stains that need to be cleaned on a regular basis.
Inspector: Black
Nov. 3
Double D Burger No. 1
2236 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Double D Burger No. 2
2236 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
East Hall High School
3534 East Hall Road, Gainesville
Score: 87, Grade: B
Washing (with soap) small food processor container in vegetable prep sink (and then taking it to be run through dish machine as required for sanitizing). Lid of second to last Dumpster is broken off hinge. Light lens missing over fluorescent lights above prep table located near dish washing area. Light lens over ice machine is cracked and needs replacement or use plastic sheaths with end for fluorescent bulbs. Ravioli (commercially processed) not reheated throughout to at least 135 degrees for hot holding in pass-through unit; parts of each pan above 135F but not above 135F.
Inspector: Wentworth
Johnny’s Country Kitchen
5540 Atlanta Highway, Flowery Branch
Score: 99, Grade: A
Contact paper on shelves peeling off and tearing.
Inspector: Black
Mangos Bar and Grill
1511 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 95, Grade: A
Raw eggs stored over ready-to-eat foods. Test strips used for quat sanitizer missing.
Inspector: Black
Jakes Cafeteria
125 Myrtle St., Gainesville
Score: 88, Grade: B
Employee prepping cole slaw and chopping cabbage with bare hands. No sanitizer buckets set up in kitchen. Cloths set out on counter tops.
Inspector: Hoffman
Sonic Drive In
7425 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 86, Grade: B
Onion chopper, can opener, lemon wedger, veggie press and knives have visible food debris. Three-compartment bulk food container not labeled. Need copies of most recent inspection posted in drive through and for walk-up customers. Gaskets, shelves, inside lid, bottom and sides of prep cooler have accumulation of food debris. Outside of bulk food container has food residue. Many sanitizer buckets do not have sanitizer registering on test strips, food and grease debris in buckets. Drainplug missing on Dumpster. Missing lid to top of Dumpster. Loose trash and debris in Dumpster area needs cleaned. Floors under dry storage shelves, cooler shelves and equipment need better, more frequent cleaning.
Inspector: Hoffman
Northeast Georgia Health System, Lanier Park
675 White Sulphur Road, Gainesville
Score: 91, Grade: A
Soup 113 degrees, hot dogs 116 degrees and cheese sauce 107 degrees on hot bar.
Inspector: Hoffman
Nov. 5
Taqueria La Fogata
5120C Thompson Bridge Road, Murrayville
Score: 70, Grade: C
Food handler not washing hands between stacking kitchenware/utensils to be washed and preparing orders. Food handler preparing sandwiches and burritos with bare hands. Raw meat stored over tomatoes and lettuce in two-door, reach-in cooler. Meat slicer stored with dried food on blade. No foods made 24 hours in advance were labeled with a seven-day discard date. Tortillas stored in grocery bags. Container for the storage of cloths used to wipe counters and equipment with buildup of visible soil. Floor in dry storage needs a good cleaning. Light fixture in restroom is not working.
Inspector: Wentworth
Lanier Elementary School
4782 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville
Score: 98, Grade: A
Walk-in cooler evaporator has condensate leak from drain. Shelving under prep tables where storage of kitchenware takes place are dusty and sticky. Ceiling needs dusting behind new air conditioning unit over prep table and cook area to prevent dust from falling or blowing onto food and food contact surfaces.
Inspector: Wentworth
Nov. 6
Riverbend Elementary
1742 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
Score: 90, Grade: A
Mashed potatoes held in hot-holding cabinet under serving line not held at required 135 degrees or above (114 degrees). Dishwasher final rinse gauge fluctuating with each run. Internal temperature barely maintaining required 161 degrees.
Inspector: Wentworth
Everyday Cafe
922 Gainesville Highway, Buford
Score: 100, Grade: A
Inspector: Wentworth
Nov. 7
Comfort Inn
3469 Branch Road, Flowery Branch
Score: 97, Grade: A
Rules of continental breakfast are not being followed.
Inspector: Black
Megan Gill