Ashburn Restaurant Inspections: Mouse Droppings Found In Sterling Restaurant's Kitchen

ASHBURN, VA — Several restaurants around Ashburn, Dulles, and Sterling were cited with violations during recent inspections from the Loudoun County Health Department. The cited restaurants were inspected between Jan. 12 and Jan. 18.

As coronavirus restrictions continue to fluctuate, health inspectors are returning to conduct some 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: Moldy Cheese, Fuzzy Strawberries
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 most recent inspections from the Ashburn area, as they were written by the Loudoun County Health Department.

• Primrose School, 44830 Lakeview Overlook Plaza Ashburn, VA 20147
  • Date inspected: Jan. 12
  • Total violations: 4
    • The Person in Charge (PIC) has not ensured that staff are trained in food safety as it related to their duties - the food service worker attempted to test the quaternary sanitizer with chlorine test strips, and was not able to correctly describe how they monitor the temperature of the high-temp dish machine (the worker pointed at a pressure gauge when asked).
    • When asked, the Person in Charge and food service worker were not able to locate a minimum of two food thermometers - zero food thermometers observed.
    • The can opener blade is not sharp enough to minimize the creation of metal fragments - metal fragments observed on the can opener.
    • When asked the Person in Charge and food service workers were not able to locate a maximum temperature registering thermometer or other means to monitor the high temperature dish machine such as heat strips.
• Subway, 23070 Oak Grove Rd #155 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 12
  • Total violations: 2
    • EHP employee health policy has 5 of 6 illnesses. Provided updated copy of EHP.
    • Facility did not know procedure to clean up Norovirus event.
• Pizza Twist, 46005 Regal Plaza #130 Sterling, VA 20165
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 12
  • Total violations: 3
    • The facility did not have verifiable means of an employee health reporting policy.
    • Pizza boxes are stacked in front of the hand sink at the pizza oven and are blocking access to the hand sink.
    • Several bags/containers of thawed RTE foods were found open with no date marking (samosa, wings, meatballs & sausage).
• Ox Deli, 23035 Douglas Court #136 Sterling, VA 20166
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 12
  • Total violations: 2
    • Sign stating employees must wash hands is missing.
    • Cheese held above prep line in cooler is not 41F or below.
• Carnegie NY Style Pizza Rolls Bowls, 44050 Ashburn Shopping Plaza #147 Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 12
  • Total violations: 9
    • The person in charge did not demonstrate their knowledge of properly testing the sanitizer solution to ensure sanitizer is present and at proper concentration; is unaware chemicals are stored above food contact surfaces at prep sink; and that the prep line an pizza prep coolers aren't maintaining safe food temperatures.
    • Food employees are not informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information concerning their health and activities as they relate to diseases transmitted through food.
    • Observed employee at grill touching bread with bare hand.
    • The shellstock tag for the clams located in freezer is not available.
    • Chlorine sanitizer solution at bucket and dispensed at 3 comp sink is not present. Solutions tested at 0ppm.
    • Observed the following TCS foods cold holding at improper temperatures in the prep coolers: diced chicken 44F, garlic in oil 45F, half and half 45.
    • Observed container of Orkin pest spray and stainless steel polish stored directly above the prep sink and clean knives, and container of all purpose cleaner stored on counter beside tea bags and beverage lids.
    • Observed container of Orkin pesticide stored in kitchen.
    • Observed the following equipment in disrepair: pizza prep cooler gaskets of top left drawer, and cook's line prep cooler on left with ambient air temperature of 45F after adjustment to cooler setting was made.
• Primrose School of Ashburn @Broadlands, 21367 Shale Ridge Court Ashburn, VA 20147
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 13
  • Total violations: 2
    • The hot water at the hand sink was measured at 76°F.
    • Wares are not being sanitized - fresh sanitizer is prepared below the concentration on the manufacturer's use instructions.
• Cava Mezza Grill, 21475 Epicerie Plaza #160 Sterling, VA 20164
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 14
  • Total violations: 3
    • Equipment food contact surfaces including baking pans and mixing bowls on the lowest level of storage shelf in kitchen across from the three compartment sink, as well as single service/single use articles of take out lids stored under the drink machine contaminated by mouse droppings.
    • Observed evidence of rodents, including rodent droppings, in the following locations: In the dining area in the far left back corner when entering the restaurant on the windowsill, in the dining area in the far right corner of the dining area across from the bathrooms, behind the self service counter in the dining area, behind the ice machine in the kitchen, under the shelves in the kitchen to the right of the entrance, under the shelves to the right of the walk in refrigerator door, around the CO2 canisters beside the employee entrance to the kitchen, in the employee storage area/chemical storage area. Two holes- one at least an inch in diameter and one about a half an inch in diameter- were found between the 3 compartment sink and the handsink. An additional hole in the wall was found under the switch box in the kitchen, about an inch in diameter. Found additional mouse evidence inside storage below drink machines and around drink machine in the dining area.
    • Hand sink next to ice machine is not working properly. Floor drain for the condensation line from the walk in refrigeration unit is not draining properly.
• National Conference Center Snack Bar(Black Olive Bar & Grill), 18980 Upper Belmont Place Lansdowne, VA 20176
  
  • Date inspected: Jan. 18
  • Total violations: 1
    • The dishwasher on the right-hand side of the bar is not dispensing sanitizer at an appropriate rate/concentration.