Ashburn Restaurant Inspections: Moldy Cheese, Expired Milk

ASHBURN, VA — Officials from the Loudoun County Health Department inspected multiple restaurants across the Ashburn, Sterling, and Dulles area from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17, including several locations with violations.

As coronavirus restrictions continue to fluctuate, health inspectors are returning to conduct restaurant inspections in person. However, some visits, such as those for training purposes, can be conducted virtually.

Violations at restaurants typically focus on factors that can contribute to food contamination. The local health department can also perform a re-inspection to ensure that possible violations have been corrected.

Read more: Ashburn Restaurant Inspections: Dulles Airport Restaurants

For every observed violation, the inspector provides a specific corrective action that can be completed to rectify the violation. Sometimes these are simple, and violations can be corrected during the course of the inspection.

Here are the results of the most recently cited restaurants, according to the Loudoun County Health Department.

• Five Guys Burgers & Fries, 44650 Waxpool Rd Ashburn, VA 20147
  • Date inspected: Aug. 11
  • Total violations: 2
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy.
    • Lettuce prepped at today at 9 AM observed at 43°F , 44°F.
• Rio Cantina & Discoteca, 21800 Town Center Plaza #260 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 11
  • Total violations: 6
    • Signed employee health policy forms not available for on duty staff.
    • Paper towels not available at the bar hand sinks.
    • A container of moldy shredded cheese was observed in the prep cooler.
    • Beef in the walk in cooler at 43°F, 44°F cold holding at improper temperature.
    • Food thermometers not available.
    • Pest activity noted - flying insects in the ladies room.
• McDonald’s, 275 South Sterling Blvd Sterling, VA 20164
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 11
  • Total violations: 2
    • A staff member was observed failing to change their gloves and wash their hands after touching their face.
    • Beef burgers removed from the grill for service were measured at 144°F, 152°F.
      • Burgers should be cooked to a minimum of 155°F for 17 seconds, according to the health department.
• Stone Bridge High School Concession (Outdoor), 43100 Hay Road Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 11
  • Total violations: 1
    • Observed raw wood below 3 compartment sink that needs to be sealed. Seal wood to ensure it is non-absorbent, smooth and easily cleanable.
• Taco Zocalo, 44927 George Washington Blvd #110 Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 3
    • Observed steak underneath flat top grill that was cooked to "med rare rare" per the person in charge. Non-continuous cook not approved currently by LCHD.
    • Observed employees purses in speed rack with dry corn tortillas.
    • Observed sanitizer machine unit mounted to wall above 3 basin sink, to not be working properly.
• Cold Stone Creamery, 42385 Ryan Rd #108 Ashburn, VA 20148
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 4
    • None of the on duty staff, including the Person in Charge, know how to use the test kit to test sanitizer concentrations.
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy.
    • No soap available at the rear hand sink - the dispenser is stocked with hand sanitizer.
    • Wares cycled through the three compartment sink are not being sanitizer - the solution in the third sink was measured at less than 100 ppm quat.
• Shrimp Lover(The), 22510 S. Sterling Blvd #110 Sterling, VA 20164
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 6
    • PIC was not able to describe signs, symptoms, and exposure of foodborne illness.
    • Observed large bucket stored in handsink
    • Observed unclean can opener.
    • Observed rice noodles cold holding at 53F and Chili Garlic Mix at 78 with manufacturer's recommendations stating to keep refrigerated.
    • Observed preassembled pickled crab mixture and halved limes in walk in with no date marking.
    • Observed Raw Chicken and rice noodles thawing on counter.
• TopGolf Dulles, 20356 Commonwealth Center Dr Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 3
    • Pre-seared (non-continuously cooked slider patties) stored over ready to eat cut sausage
    • Chipotle vinaigrette and taco chicken in the low boy cooler are cold holding at improper temperatures. As per PIC the line was being set up for service and coolers were open for an extended amount of time
    • Bottle of champagne cooling in ice chest with ice being used as an ingredient for drinks
• Peet’s Coffee & Tea, 42385 Ryan Rd #110 Ashburn, VA 20148
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 5
    • Wares cycled through the three compartment sink are not being sanitized - the sanitizer is testing below the manufacturer's acceptable use range.
    • Three gallons of milk with a sell-by date of August 10, 2021 were observed.
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to describe or locate a vomit clean up plan or kit.
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy.
    • The Person in Charge is not ensuring that staff are testing sanitizer to ensure that wares are sanitized & monitoring sell-by dates on milk
• Stone Springs Hospital Center Cafe (Starbucks), 24440 Stone Springs Blvd Dulles, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 12
  • Total violations: 1
    • Verifiable Employee Health Policy for reporting signs and symptoms of illness not available for employee.
• Pharaoh’s Cafe, 46000 Old Ox Rd #107 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 16
  • Total violations: 7
    • The nonfood contact surface of the wire shelving used to store clean dishes and the low freezer have accumulations of grime and debris.
    • When asked the Person in Charge was not able to locate two functional food thermometers.
    • The facility is using an "outdoor" bleach for sanitizing. The labeling on the product indicates that the bleach contains additional ingredients such as thickening agents.
    • Foods such as milk at 55°F cold holding at improper temperatures.
    • A container of juice is stored in the ice machine.
    • This food establishment has not established procedures for cleaning up vomiting or diarrheal events that happen in the facility.
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy.
• Subway, 23070 Oak Grove Rd #155 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 16
  • Total violations: 8
    • There is no Person in Charge present at the facility.
    • The staff present in the facility during the inspection indicated that employee health policy documentation was not present in the facility.
    • Paper towels not available at either of the hand sinks in the kitchen.
    • At the start of the inspection wet wiping cloths and other cleaning implements were stored in the rear hand sink, blocking it from use.
    • Wares cycled through the three compartment sink are not being sanitized - the solution in the sink tested at 0 ppm quat.
    • Foods such as salami at 43°F and chicken at 43° cold holding at improper temperatures.
    • Food is not stored as to prevent contamination - there is water dripping from the fan grate in the walk in cooler ceiling and food is stored underneath.
    • There is water dripping from the fan grate on the ceiling of the walk in cooler and multiple temperature readings above 41°F were taken.
• Souvlaki Bar, 46519 Harry Byrd Highway #115 Sterling, VA 20164
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 16
  • Total violations: 1
    • Observed sliced tomatoes 50F in prep cooler. Dice chicken cooked 45F in walk in cooler.
• Parrandos Tex-Mex Grill, 42830 Creek View Plaza #100 Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 13
  • Total violations: 4
    • Cutting boards were not clean to sight and touch due to scaring of knives cutting the cutting boards.
    • Walk in cooler door is hard to open.
    • There is no quat testing strips.
    • Employee restroom door near ice machine is not self closing.
• Smoothie King #620, 21100 Dulles Town Circle B120 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 17
  • Total violations: 8
    • The facility is operating without a designated Person in Charge.
    • Staff present during the inspection are not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy
    • A staff member was observed repeatedly touching their hair and then failing to wash their hands.
    • There are no paper towels available at the front hand sink.
    • When asked, staff indicated that blender pitchers used to blend smoothies the contain temperature control for safety ingredients such as frozen yogurt and ice cream are washed, rinsed and sanitized every night.
    • The solution in the third basin of the three compartment sink tested at 500 ppm quat.
    • One corner of the ice machine deflector is broken, and another corner is held in place with a metal screw.
    • The following non-food contact surface is noted in need of cleaning: inside the ice bin, where the ice bin wall & ceiling meet.
• Village Cupcake Co, 21100 Dulles Town Circle #260 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Aug. 17
  • Total violations: 7
    • When asked, the Person in Charge was not able to provide verifiable documentation that all on-duty staff have been trained on employee health policy.
    • This food establishment has not established procedures for cleaning up vomiting or diarrheal events that happen in the facility.
    • Wares are not being sanitized before use after cleaning. The sanitizer basin is filled with cloudy water that tested at less than 150 ppm quat.
    • Cream cheese frosting in the cooler at 43°F, and at 66°F on a cupcake stored at room temperature.
    • Cream cheese and buttercream (made with unsalted butter) frosted cup cakes stored at room temperature.
    • Facility does not have two metal stem thermometers that are scaled in 2°F increments.
    • The walk in cooler not running and is being used for storage.