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Kitchen Inspections
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The following are among the food service establishments inspected from Dec. 57-Jan. 10 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: Risk Type I- Frequency of inspection will be one time per year for establishments that do not cook any foods. This includes establishments that may reheat commercially precooked ingredients or foods such as hot dogs and sausages.

Risk Type II- Frequency of inspection will be two times per year for establishments that cook and/or hold and reheat foods that are prepared on-site.

Risk Type III- Frequency of inspection will be three times per year for establishments that have a required and approved HACCP plan. One of these inspections will be a scheduled inspection to meet with the Certified Food Safety Manager.

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.

Dec. 27

Subway No. 28943, 5160A Cleveland Highway, Gainesville

Score: 97, Grade A

Cloths used to wipe food contact surfaces not in sanitizer.

Inspector: Black

Hampton Inn, 450 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Gainesville

Score: 99, Grade A

Room 108 and 312 with chips in tubs.

Inspector: Black

Dec. 28

University Yacht Club, 6649 Yacht Club Road, Flowery Branch

Score: 98, Grade A

No sanitizer test strips available to monitor the sanitizer level of final rinse in dish machine and level of sanitizer in cloth storage containers and spray bottles. Floor needs cleaning under fryer, along wall and corner and under cook line area.

Inspector: Wentworth

Donut Connection/Java Joint, 3650 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood

Score: 92, Grade A

No bleach available to use as sanitizer for sanitizing kitchenware at three-compartment sink and food contact surfaces. No food service permit posted. Floors need a good cleaning under equipment, especially at floor/wall junctures and in corners. Baseboard and wall deteriorated behind cabinets and ice machine. Patch of floor dug up at threshold of kitchen to repair water leak.

Inspector: Wentworth

Jan. 2

Lefty’s BBQ, 4965 Friendship Road, Buford

Score: 89, Grade B

Foods stored in make line cooler uncovered. Cutting boards have an accumulation of mold and mildew. Can opener stored with dried food debris. One gallon of 2 percent milk dated 12/25/07 and two dated 12/30/07. Floors in kitchen have food debris, etc.

Inspector: McDuffie

Jan. 3

Taquieria El Mirador No. 4 , 2275 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville

Score: 79, Grade C

Hand sink blocked. Beef tongue thawed in three-compartment sink. Food stored uncovered. Foods cooked on stove being stirred with a 2-by-4. Approved thawing methods include thawing in cooler, thawing as a part of cooking and thawing under continuously running cool water in the meat sink. Gaskets, interiors and exterior surfaces of coolers have mold and mildew and dried food debris.

Inspector: McDuffie

Taquieria El Mirador No. 3 (mobile), 2275 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville

Score: 83, Grade B

Hand wash sink not stocked. Food items not covered. Knives stored with dried food debris. There is no vegetable prep sink on this mobile unit. Cooked tripe being heated on steam table.

Inspector: McDuffie

Taquieria El Mirador No. 5 (mobile), 2275 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville

Score: 83, Grade B

Hand wash sink not stocked. Food items not covered, cheese stored in grocery bag. Knives and cheese grater stored with dried food debris. There is no vegetable prep sink in this mobile unit. Cooked tripe being heated on steam table.

Inspector:

Tom’s Pizza Shack, 2415 Old Cornelia Highway, Gainesville

Score: 99, Grade A

Shelf underneath prep table and shelves where pizza boxes are being stored need to be cleaned on a more frequent basis.

Inspector: Black

Chattahoochee Country Club, 3000 Club Drive, Gainesville

Score: 90, Grade A

Employee touching dirty dishes, then touching clean dishes without changing gloves and washing hands. Floors in walk in coolers starting to rust and pull apart at seams. Vents and lights in hood system with grease/dust.

Inspector: Black

Jan. 4

Joselyn’s Helados, 1714 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville

Score: 99, Grade A

Clean floors daily to prevent accumulation of debris.

Inspector: Black

El Super Taco, 1714 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville

Score: 79, Grade C

Foods in coolers, etc., not covered. Cutting boards have mold and mildew. Utensils stored with dried food debris. Tamales at 93 degrees F on steam table. Milk with expired date, disposed of. Foods stored in grocery bags. Used cloths on tables, equipment, etc. Disposable gloves may be used for one task, after which they are thrown away, the hands are washed and a new pair of gloves are put on. Microwave and the interiors, exteriors, gaskets of coolers/freezers, etc., have dried food debris.

Inspector: McDuffie

El Guanaco, 1714 Atlanta Highway, Gainesville

Score: 70, Grade C

No one at restaurant with food service knowledge. Cheese cut from a slab and in unmarked plastic bags. Ice scoop stored handle down in ice. Temperatures of foods in coolers range from 55 to 60 degrees F. Temperatures of foods on stove range from 98 to 121 degrees F. Reach-in cooler struggling to maintain required temperatures. Walls in kitchen spattered with dried food.

Inspector: McDuffie

Jan. 7

Country Road Buffet, 1703 Cleveland Highway, Gainesville

Score: 99, Grade A

Rubber mallet that is flaking rubber stored in container with kitchen utensils.

Inspector: Black

Subway, 3630 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville

Score: 94, Grade A

Coke diffusers and fountain heads with mold, mildew and dust. Food and food residue in rinse compartment of three-compartment sink while dishes are being washed. Coved baseboard missing in front of cabinet at handsink.

Inspector: Black

Jan. 8

Panera Bread, 625 Dawsonville Highway, Gainesville

Score: 81, Grade B

Hand sink in dish washing area not stocked with paper towels. Meat slicer and tomato slicer stored with dried food debris. Wooden cutting board has mold and mildew embedded in cutting surface. Mold and mildew on ice machine. Foods in and on make line cooler out of temperature. The gaskets on the cooler have food debris, mold and mildew. Storage drawers have food debris in them. Floors in kitchen and walk-in coolers and freezers have food, trash, etc.

Inspector: McDuffie

Las Palomas, 3050 Athens Highway, Cornelia

Score: 92, Grade A

No thermometer in freezer compartment of upright. Foods and drinks stored in water jugs. Surfaces in cook area covered in aluminum foil. Grease container needs to be emptied.

Inspector: McDuffie

Chick-fil-A, Lobby of Longstreet Clinic, Gainesville

Score: 90, Grade A

Ice scoop has crack all the way up middle of scoop. No records being kept for potentially hazardous foods brought via modified "heated" cooler from commissary to vending operation. Contact health department for information on written procedures that shall be maintained in the food service establishment for review by the health department.

Inspector: Wentworth

Jan. 9

Felder’s Big City Cafe, 116 Bradford St., Gainesville

Score: 100, Grade A

Inspector: McDuffie

Scotts on the Square, 110 Main St., Gainesville

Score: 95, Grade A

Food contact services not cleaned and sanitized.

Inspector:McDuffie

The Big Bear Cafe, 893 Main St., Gainesville

Score: 86, Grade B

Hand sink is located at back door where door when left open for ventilation blocks easy access to hand sink. No paper towels available at kitchen hand sink or frontline prep sink. No paper towels in men’s room. Can opener blade with large build up of dried food. Some kitchenware was washed and rinsed without sanitizer. Container of sanitizer for the storage of wiping cloths in kitchen stored on floor and water sanitizer solution with visible soil (dirty). Cloth used at steam table to wipe spills during order prep not stored in chemical sanitizer between uses. The wash temperature of dishwasher fluctuating between 92-111 degrees. Pan under dishwasher catching water from leaking dishwasher drain. No covered waste container in women’s restroom. Floors need a good cleaning under and behind equipment in kitchen, especially in dishwasher area. Coved baseboard need repair along wall, under sinks and behind cook area. Food handler chewing and cracking gum.

Inspector: Wentworth

Jan. 10

Hall County Senior Center, 434 Prior St., Gainesville

Score: 100, Grade A

Inspector: Black

Hall County Meals on Wheels, 430 Prior St., Gainesville

Score: 99, Grade A

Bottom of freezer with food debris.

Inspector: Black

Sun Garden Chinese Restaurant, 3630 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville

Score: 88, Grade B

Raw chicken, beef, shrimp and eggs stored over ready-to-eat foods in walk-in cooler. Chicken stored on pan on top of trash can during prep. Cloths used to wipe food surfaces being stored tucked into aprons.

Inspector: Black

Quizno’s Subs, 417 Main St., Gainesville

Score: 96, Grade A

Some storage on crates. Gaskets on walk-in cooler are split and have mold and mildew. Cabinets behind counter have an accumulation of crumbs, food debris, etc.

Inspector: McDuffie

Crossroads Bar & Grille, 5900 Spout Springs Road, Flowery Branch

Score: 96, Grade A

Foods uncovered in make line and kitchen freezer. Cutting boards on make lines have mold and mildew.

Inspector: McDuffie

Northeast Georgia Medical Center, 743 Spring Street, Gainesville

Score: 87, Grade B

Turkey breast put in freezer at 11:30 a.m. to cool for slicing and service at 4 p.m. with temperature at 84 to 101 degrees F at 3:30. Food did not reach 70 degrees F within two hours. Slicer blade with dried food.

Inspector: Wentworth

Bianca Bruno