Restaurant Inspections: Unsanitized Cookware Used at Local Restaurant

From March 9-19, the state health department inspected a few restaurants in the Annandale area. 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.

Blue Sand Seafoods

4231-H Markham St.

Date of inspection: March 18

No violations were found during the inspection.

Choong Hwa Woong

4409 John Marr Drive

Date of inspection: March 15

Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed eating, smoking, or drinking in areas where they may contaminate food, clean equipment, utensils or other items needing protection.

Critical (corrected during inspection): The food-contact surfaces pans were not observed sanitized.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Some food items were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.

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): Food items that are not easily identified by appearance were observed without a label.

Han Gang Korean Restaurant

7243 Little River Turnpike

Date of inspection: March 14

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): Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils. Observed open beverages stored by the clean dishware.

Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after touching bare human body parts, after coughing, sneezing, eating, after handling soiled utensils, or after engaging in any activity that could contaminate the hands.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Equipment food-contact surfaces/utensils were not observed cleaned before any possible contamination.

Critical: Raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without a reminder statement.

Non-critical: There was no temperature measuring device located in one of the cold or hot holding equipments.

Non-critical: The certified food manager could not provide a food temperature measuring device.

Non-critical: Food items that are not easily identified by appearance were observed without a label.

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 as follows: knives observed to be stored in between equipment units, spoons stored with the handle in the container.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Outside refuse container was uncovered.

Non-critical: Salmon served raw or partially cooked were observed without a written statement from the supplier stating that the fish were raised and fed according to 3-402.11(B)(3).

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Employees are not properly sanitizing cleaned multiuse equipment and utensils.

Non-critical: Employees are not aware of or are not monitoring the cook temperatures of potentially hazardous food. Chefs don’t use thermometers and could not state minimum cook temperatures.

Il Mee Buffet

7031 Little River Turnpike

Date of inspection: March 14

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.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: observed tongs in lettuce at self service station; observed spoons in masgo roe at sushi station.

Non-critical: Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.

Non-critical: Water from the handwashing sink in the kitchen and the dishwashing room were measured at a temperature less than 100 degrees.

Non-critical: Light bulbs in the dishwashing area are not covered by a protective shielding.

Non-critical: Observed that inadequate lighting was provided in the walk-in refrigerators, walk-in freezers, and/or dry storage areas.

Non-critical: Observed that the ceiling tiles in dishwashing area, kitchen area and dry storage area are not maintained in good repair.

Non-critical: Observed that the dishwashing room and equipment/beverage storage room are in need of cleaning.

Han Kook Kyoja

4210 John Marr Drive

Date of inspection: March 12

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): A food employee was observed eating, smoking, or drinking in areas where they may contaminate food, clean equipment, utensils or other items needing protection. Observed an employee drinking from an open container while rinsing cooked noodles.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: Uncovered sliced vegetable containers in the walk in cooler.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Food items were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.

Critical (corrected during inspection): 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.

Non-critical: Food storage under other sources of contamination. Observed boxes of lettuce, dry products, stored in two sheds located behind the restaurant.

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): Observed spoons by the serving station that have been cleaned not stored covered or inverted.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees.

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.

Le Matin De Paris

7326-A Little River Turnpike

Date of inspection: March 12

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: Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils.

Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after touching bare human body parts, after coughing, sneezing, eating, after handling soiled utensils, or after engaging in any activity that could contaminate the hands.

Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed handling the following ready-to-eat food using their bare hands: Holding bread with bare hands while slicing and prepping for use.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed steamers located at the front counter coffee service area are not being cleaned at least every four hours.

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.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed the handsink at the front counter being used to dump food and clean plates.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): The handwashing facility located at the 3-compartment sink is blocked, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Surfaces of ice bins, beverage dispensing nozzles, and enclosed components of equipment are not being cleaned as required. Observed pink mold on interior of ice bin.