Restaurant Inspections: Panaderia Latina and A&J

From Feb. 22 to March 1, the state health department inspected a few restaurants in the Annandale area: A&J Restaurant, Hee Been and Panaderia Latina.

For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation. Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

A&J Restaurant
4316-B Markham Street
Date of inspection: Feb. 28
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Visibly soiled or improperly cleaned equipment or utensils were observed being used during food preparation.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food in the refrigeration unit.
Critical: equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch.
Critical (corrected during inspection): The food-contact surfaces of pots and pans were not observed sanitized.
Critical: Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food that is prepared on site is not used or discarded within 24 hours of preparation and was not observed to be date marked.
Critical: Working containers of poisonous and toxic materials are not properly labeled with a common name.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils. Open beverage container stored by noodle making equipment.
Non-critical: There was no temperature measuring device located in two of the cold or hot holding equipment.
Non-critical: The certified food manager could not provide a food temperature measuring device.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Unlabeled food containers with food items that are not easily identified by appearance.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that clean tongs were stored on the side of a shelving rack where employees will brush against it.
Non-critical: Manufacturer containers were observed reused for the storage of tea, sesame dressing, sauce, beverage mixes.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that clean straws were stored without having cover and stored in an manner that exposed the item(s) to contamination.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed cleaning their hands in a food preparation sink or in a mop sink.
Non-critical: Toilet room door in the women’s restroom is not provided with a self-closing door.
Non-critical: Observed that the chairs and tables in the dining room area is in need of cleaning.
Non-critical: The handwashing facility located at the dry storage area, and three-compartment sink area is blocked, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all handwashing sinks used by food employees.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed the handsink at the front counter area being used as a dishwashing area and dump station.
Non-critical: Water from all the handwashing sink at was measured at a temperature less than 100 degrees.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Employees are not aware of or are not monitoring the cooking and reheating temperatures of potentially hazardous food.
Non-critical: Employees are not properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils.

Hee Been
6231 Little River Turnpike
Date of inspection: Feb. 28
Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food in the refrigeration unit: 1) Observed raw beef being stored over vegetables in the Turbo Air 2DR flat top cooler in kitchen, 2) Observed raw beef being stored over mashed potatoes in Everest 1DR upright cooler in buffet area.
Critical (corrected during inspection): The following equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: slicer and chopper.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Cooked potentially hazardous foods are not being adequately cooled from 13 degrees to 70 degrees within two hours and to 41 degrees within a total of six hours.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Food items in the Turbo Air 3DR prep cooler in kitchen were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Pesticides labeled for residential use were observed in the facility.
Non-critical: There was no temperature measuring device located several of the cold holding units.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: 1) Knives stored between prep cooler and prep table, 2) Scoops stored in still room temperature water.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): The following refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees: Observed Turbo Air 3DR prep cooler at 45-46F in kitchen.
Non-critical: There is no test kit located in the facility for monitoring the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solutions.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed the handsink near the warewashing machine being used to store dirty dishes.

Panaderia Latina
6251 Little River Turnpike
Date of inspection: Feb. 28
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed handling ready-to-eat food using their bare hands.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Food items were found hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Food items for which time rather than temperature is used as a control is not marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is four hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control.
Non-critical: Observed that the following is in need of cleaning: 1) Caulking along food prep sink, 2) Back walls, 3) Floors under and between equipment.
Non-critical: The door gaskets of the following units are missing or damaged: Kolpak walk in cooler and Kolpak walk in freezer.
Non-critical: The nonfood-contact surface of the following equipment is not corrosion resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth. Observed cardboard lining shelves.
Non-critical: Food stored on the floor and/or food stored less than 6 inches off the floor. Observed boxes of corn and a bag of onion on floor.