These Columbia restaurants recently focused on correcting previous inspection violations
If last week was nearly all about soiled ice machines, then this week was all about getting violations corrected in restaurant inspections.
The Columbia Tribune now is publishing a weekly feature on restaurant inspections. Regular inspections happen two to three times per year based on priority and location, per a message from Columbia/Boone Public Health and Human Services. In general, violations are corrected at the time of inspection or by a follow-up inspection. Not all reinspection reports were available at time of publication.
Inspection reports are from May 14 through May 20. There are two restaurants which had no violations, critical or otherwise. That notation was bestowed on Penn Station Subs, 203 E. Nifong Blvd., from a May 20 routine inspection; and Carlito's Cabo, 12-A Business Loop 70 E, May 14 routine inspection.
While restaurants were focused on fixing violations, such as a soiled ice machine, there was one location in the last week that had this issue. Tiger Tea, 2101 W. Broadway, Suite I, had to clean its soiled ice machine by Tuesday after a May 14 routine inspection. A reinspection report was not available. Several empty boxes stored above a water heater were removed during the original inspection and staff were reminded to not let boxes pile up.
Two out of three Las Margaritas locations were focused on correcting violations, while a third had a couple critical violations.
The dishwasher at the South Eighth Street location was dispensing enough sanitizer at its May 16 reinspection, while the St. Charles Road location had by May 14 corrected a lack of date labeling on food inside the walk-in cooler from a May 9 inspection. The Southampton Road location in a top cooler unit in the back of the kitchen had potentially hazardous foods registering above 41 degrees on May 15. Ice was added at the time of inspection to bring down the temperature. There also was a lack of date labeling in the walk-in cooler. Reinspection for this was scheduled Monday but a report was unavailable.
Other restaurants that corrected previous violations within the last week included Fieldhouse, 1107 E. Broadway, and its soiled ice machine; Tropical Liquers, 3805 S. Providence Road, provided photos of new walk-in cooler racks to replace the repeat violation of having ones with buildup that lead to a fine; and Ernie’s Cafe and Steakhouse, 1005 E. Walnut St., removed ice machine buildup by May 14 after a May 9 inspection.
Some restaurants had multiple critical and noncritical violations in the last week. This includes Abelardo's Mexican Fresh, 1416 Hathman Place, and Wingstop, 2703 E. Broadway, Suite 236.
Items at Abelardo's corrected during its May 16 routine inspection included lack of food lids in cooler, freezer and dry storage; an unlabeled sanitizer spray bottle; an ice scoop handle touching ice; thawing shrimp in standing water instead of under running cold water or in a refrigerator. Items that needed correction by a Wednesday reinspection were light bulb shields in all food storage areas, while other items that need correction by the next routine inspection include ice buildup in the walk-in freezer and a wall repair in the dry storage area.
At Wingstop, during its May 15 routine inspection, an employee was informed on handwashing requirements after they were observed to put on gloves after handling their cellphone, rather than washing their hands first. Sanitizer in a three basin sink was not dispensing at the right concentration, which staff had to correct by Wednesday. A hand-washing sink was blocked, which was corrected during the inspection.
Employees also were storing beverages without lids above food items and in the walk-in freezer. The open beverages were covered and moved during inspection and a reinspection for May 17 was set for milkshakes uncovered in the freezer. The restaurant's next routine inspection is Aug. 1 and by that time ice buildup in the freezer must be addressed, ensuring a sanitizer bucket is at necessary concentration and that empty cardboard boxes do not pile up to prevent potential nesting places for pests, including bugs and rodents.
Dive Bar, 1116 Business Loop 70 E. was fined over a repeat violation of its dishwasher not dispensing sanitizer during the cycle. A repair work order is filed and the restaurant will use its three-basin sink in the meantime for sanitizing dishware. The restaurant must send photos of purchased ethyl alcohol test strips by May 29 to avoid another fine.
Highly soiled soda nozzles were found at Okii Mama, 3709 S. Providence Road, Suite C, on May 14. They had to be cleaned by May 17, but a reinspection report was unavailable. Other noncritical violations were buildup and residue on refrigerator handles and inside refrigerators, which will be inspected at the next routine date Sept. 14.
Other restaurants with minor violations include:
Papa John's Pizza, 1205 E. Broadway, had an unlabeled cleaning solution bottle, which was corrected at its inspection Monday.
China Star, 3301 Broadway Business Park, had unlabeled food in walk-in cooler on May 17. A reinspection was to happen Wednesday. No reinspection report available.
Peggy Jean's Pies, 421 N. Stadium Blvd., Suite 103, installed thermometers into reach-in coolers during an inspection Monday. By its next routine inspection it must have a food manager's certificate onsite and a loose coving behind the three-basin sink repaired.
China Chef, 27 Conley Road, had dust buildup on a kitchen hood and some residue buildup on refrigerator handles May 15 that should be corrected by its next routine inspection in August.
More: This common issue affected Columbia restaurants inspected in the last week
Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia restaurants work to correct food inspection violations
