'Excessive' Grease, Food Debris Found on Cooking Equipment

Patch examined inspection reports in Lincoln Square during the month of February. Information has been compiled using publicly available data published to the website of the Chicago Department of Public Health's Food Protection Program.

Restaurants can pass, pass with conditions or fail using a standardized procedure. Establishments that pass don't have any critical or serious violations. Those that receive 'pass with conditions' had serious violations, but the violations were corrected during the inspection. Failed establishments had serious violations that weren't correctable during the inspection. A fail rating does not mean the business's license is automatically suspended.

All inspections are done on a routine canvass, unless otherwise noted.

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O’Shaughnessy’s Public House, 4557 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Inspection date: Feb. 28
Results: Pass with Conditions
Violations: This visit was the result of a complaint that said food was spoiled. The inspector didn’t find any spoilage, but couldn't find shellfish tags for fresh mussels. That resulted in a critical violation. A 90-day tag must be on mussels and management voluntarily discarded the food.

Management also needs to repair the rubber door gasket on the reach-in freezer and replace the thermometer inside the coffee reach-in cooler.

The Grind Café, Inc, 4613 N. Lincoln Ave.
Inspection date: Feb. 28
Results: Pass
Violations: Management needs to provide splash guards between the three-compartment sink and seal wood shelves under the front serving counter.

Jimmy’s Pizzeria and Café, 5159 N. Lincoln Ave.
Inspection date: Feb. 27
Results: Pass with Conditions
Violations: This visit was the result of a complaint. The inspector found three 20-inch pizzas at improper temperatures. The pizzas were on top of a prep table at the front serving area and there were no temperature logs available at the time of inspection. The temperatures ranged from 107 to 123 degrees and food must be kept at 140 degrees or higher, making this inadequate food protection. The inspector issued a critical citation.

The prep foods inside the walk-in cooler were not labeled and there was "excessive" food debris on equipment. Management needs to sanitize the floors, coolers, prep tables, fryer, dried food storage containers, shelves and mop sink.

Food handlers also weren’t wearing hair restraints or storing towels in an approved sanitizer.

McDonald’s, 4844 N. Lincoln Ave.
Inspection date: Feb. 26
Results: Pass
Violations: This visit was the result of a complaint. Management needs to replace the broken gasket on the small reach-in cooler. The inspector found “excessive” food debris and grease on utensils, cooking equipment, freezers, coolers, filters, cabinets, floors and the soft serve machine. Water was also found on the floors, which need to be kept dry to prevent pests. Management needs to replace the missing wall tiles near the sink along with the broken light shields above the prep areas. Unnecessary articles need to be removed from the storage area or stared at least 6 inches off the floor for easy cleaning.