Del Ray Restaurant Violations: Ice Maker With Mold-Like Substance

Every wonder how clean your local restaurants are? City of Alexandria restaurants regularly undergo health inspections, with the frequency depending on the type of food served and how it is prepared. While violations like malfunctioning refrigerators and food that's not warm or cold enough are more common, health inspectors sometimes note more critical violations.

“In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," notes the Virginia Department of Health.

Here are full results for the latest inspections in and around Del Ray, including restaurants that passed with no violations. Among these violations was a black mold-like substance in the ice makers at Los Tios Grill.

Click on the violations to see each restaurant's results. Full reports are usually available five to seven days after the inspection on the health department’s website.

Violations

Bon Vivant Cafe + Food Market: 2016 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 18

violations: No consumer advisory for the following food item(s) that may be served raw and/or undercooked: smoked salmon on breakfast caulk board menu (corrected)

Chirilagua Pollo & Steak: 4112 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 16

violations: Improper use of wet wiping cloths for the following activity: wiping cloths observed in chlorine solution that was less than 50 ppm (corrected), cutting board across the charcoal grill is heavily scratched and scored, cutting board across the charcoal grill is heavily scratched and scored

Del Ray Cafe: 205 E. Howell Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 17

violations: Observed staff member washing hands at the warewashing sink near the dish machine, raw animal food (beef) stored over ready-to-eat food (fruit, cheese) in the refrigeration unit (both corrected)

Del Ray Pizzeria: 2218 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 17

violations: The date on which the last shellstock from the container is sold or served was not recorded on the tag or label, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: pasta, caesar dressings, cut watermelon (fliptop-salad); milk (tea-station); and grilled onions, hamburger meat (drawers under grill), no hand soap at the bar on the main floor and the bar upstairs (all corrected), refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less: fliptop salad prep unit, tea station drawers unit, and the drawers under the grill

Grape & Bean Rosemont: 2 E. Walnut St, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 17

violations: Raw poultry observed stored over carrots, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: spring mix leafy greens, spring mix leafy greens, three bottles of chemicals observed stored on the clean dish rack in the hallway above clean dishes (all corrected), refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less: residential cooler unit and the 1 door reach-in upstairs

IHOP: 3425 Jefferson Davis Hwy A, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 16

violations: Wiping cloths were stored in sanitizer buckets at improper concentrations (corrected), observed beverage dispensing nozzles and the areas around it at the server's station to be soiled

Los Tios Grill: 2615 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 30

violations: Observed fish in ROP thawing in the superior 2 door flip top unit, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: items in the Beverage Air 1 door upright-cookline such as beef soup, pollo guisado, carne guisado, and cooked spinach were all above 41 F, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: observed several knives above the three compartment sink to be stored on the magnet and soiled (all corrected), Beverage air 1 door upright was holding at 46 F and silver king salad unit was holding at 58 F, cutting boards along the cookline are heavily scratched and scored, both large ice makers were observed to be soiled with mold-like substance near the chute area and interior walls

Marcela's Bakery: 3856 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 24

violations: The door gaskets of the following unit(s) are (missing, damaged): the true glass sliding door refrigeration in the back

Market to Market: 116 E. Del Ray Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 25

violations: Food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: meatballs (118 F), (marinara sauce 82 F), no handwashing signs at restrooms. (both corrected)

Pork Barrel BBQ: 2312 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 23

violations: Observed knives stored in between the prep unit and the wall: area is not cleaned/sanitized regularly, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: the deli slicer, (cavity, door seal) of the microwave oven in the back prep area is observed soiled (all corrected)

Thai Peppers Restaurant: 2018 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 28

violations: Observed an employee rewashing single-use gloves then proceeded to handle cooking equipment without discarding gloves and washing hands before new task, employee was observed cleaning their hands in 3 compartment sink instead of the designated handwashing sink, person in charge is not able to provide written procedures for the use of time as a public health control with the following potentially hazardous food item(s): chopped vegetables in bowls intended for lunch soups (all corrected), several unlabeled food containers (squeeze bottles and spices), nonfood-contact surface of the following equipment is not corrosion resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth: Front of prep shelf (next to handsink) is split, exposing untreated wood, light bulb above the chest freezer, where vegetable preparation is taking place, is not covered by a protective shielding

Veronica's Bakery & Cafe: 4116 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 17

violations: The date on which the last shellstock from the container is sold or served was not recorded on the tag or label, Observed container of scrambled eggs to be covered while cooling not allowing for maximum heat transfer and containers of coleslaw and pico de gallo that was in the top prep containers but were overflowing, no test kit located in the facility for monitoring the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solutions (both corrected), cutting board along the table near the 3 compartmet sink is heavily scratched and scored, light bulbs in the kitchen and in the front counter are not covered by a protective shielding

No violations

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins: 3325 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 12

violations: none

Holy Cow: 2312 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 31

violations: none

Live Oak Restaurant: 1603 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: July 12

violations: none

Subway: 3825 Jefferson Davis Hwy A, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: July 24

violations: none

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