Route 1 Restaurant Inspections: TGI Friday's, Balkan Grill

HUNTINGTON, VA — With Fairfax County Health Department's restaurant inspection reports back online, we continue to look at reports in the Route 1 corridor.

The health department's environmental health staff inspect over 5,200 restaurants and other retail food service establishments in Fairfax County and cities of Falls Church and Fairfax to ensure safe food handling practices are followed. This includes proper sanitation, food storage and preparation, and adequate kitchen facilities. Aside from restaurants, staff inspect child care centers, hospitals, school cafeterias, and temporary food service vendors at festivals.

Until this summer, food establishment inspection reports had been unavailable online since 2019 as the health department worked to launch a new online system. Residents can search for a specific restaurant or browse a map of inspected locations through the online database.

The health department cautions residents that a single inspection should not be used to evaluate a restaurant. Pieter Sheehan, the Fairfax County environmental health director, says "it is important to look at multiple inspection reports for a facility to truly understand their approach and commitment to food safety and sanitation."

This week's report focuses on restaurants in Huntington, Groveton and Belle Haven leading up to Labor Day weekend. Click on each link to see the full report for the restaurant.

Ken's Asian Bistro: 2256 Huntington Ave., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 4

Violations: In the walk-in refrigerator observed raw chicken holding over Gen Tso chicken and raw carrots; in the two door UCR observed raw chicken skewer holding over cooked chicken wings, handsink at the back being used to dump food and hold plastic bags, pesticides labeled for residential use were observed in the facility and are being applied by the operator to control pests.

Old Chicago Pizzeria: 2245 Huntington Ave, Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 24

Violations: No violations found.

Juliano's Subs & Pizza: 5950 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 4

Violations: No violations found.

El Rancho Latin Grill: 5834 A North Kings Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 16

Violations: Observedraw chicken and raw fish over ready to eat pulled chicken and tomato sauce in the True 2-door upright cooler in kitchen area, open drinking containers used or stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils.

Abi's Restaurant: 5838 North Kings Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 15

Violations: Food item(s) were observed hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: Rice on countertop/cartholding at 88f for 1 hour, open drinking containers used or stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils.

Balkan Grill: 5902 North Kings Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Sept. 2

Violations: Observed raw beef over cut tomatoes and uncut peppers in the walk in refrigerator, ready-to-eat food that is made using a combination of ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety ingredients is not properly dated for discard using the date of the first-prepared ingredient: babaganoush, hummus, gyro on spit, spinach dip, dolman and other bulk foods in the walk in refrigerator, certified food manager was not present during the beginning of the inspection, food item(s) for which time rather than temperature is used as a control is not marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is 4 hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control: Burek, person in charge is not able to provide a verbal or written policy for preventing the transmission of foodborne disease by an employee who has a disease or a medical condition, food items that are not easily identified by appearance were observed without a label: bottles of cooking oil, filters at the hood have a build up of grease and are in need of cleaning, door gaskets of the following unit(s) are torn: The walk in refrigerator, open drinking containers used or stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils, observed that toilet room doors are being kept open (self closer is not operating properly so that the door closes).

Taj of India: 6027 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 15

Violations: Observed the sanitizing solution in the chemical sanitizing dish machine with a concentration of 0 ppm total chlorine, person in charge is not a certified food protection manager, ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food that is prepared on site is not used or discarded within 24 hours of preparation and was not observed to be date marked: Bulk containers of sauces, cooked chicken, chick peas, tomato sauces, chicken curry stored in the walk in refrigerator and the Argus 2-door upright cooler in kitchen, unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: Masala, chicken curry, Korma sauce and other bulk foods in unit 1.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries: 6210 Quander Rd., Alexandria, Va 22307

Last inspection: Aug. 2

Violations: No violations found.

El Paso Mexican Restaurant: 6151 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 16

Violations: Food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: Guacamole with tomato50f, salsa 50f in unit #6 at the cantina server station; salsa 47f at the server station; cut lettuce on counter top along cookline 69f, air gap between the water supply outlet and the flood rim level of the sanitize basin of the three vat sink is not observed, certified food manager could not provide a food temperature measuring device, temperature measuring device in the following hot food storage unit was not properly located in the coldest part of the unit: Units #3 True 1 door UCR; Unit#4 2-door prep cooler along cookline; Unit #5 Superior 1 door prep along cookline; #6 1-door prep at cantina; #8 1 door UCR at server station, refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41F: 1 door UCR at server station 52f and the 1 door prep cooler at the cantina 47f.

Machu Pollo: 6128 North Kings Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22303

Last inspection: Aug. 2

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

El Pollo Ranchero Tex Mex Cafe: 6324 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, Va 22306

Last inspection: Aug. 9

Violations: No violations found.

Chili's Grill & Bar: 6601 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22306

Last inspection: Aug. 25

Violations: When tested, the low temperature, chemical sanitizing warewashing machine was observed with a sanitizing rinse concentration of 0 ppm chlorine solution, chemical sanitizing dish machine was not registering at the appropriate limits for sanitizer solution concentration.

TGI Friday's: 6640 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22306

Last inspection: Aug. 18

Violations: Chemical sanitizing warewashing machine, located at the bar, was observed with a sanitizing rinse concentration of 0ppm chlorine solution, food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: raw steak(49F) and raw breaded chicken (46F) in #5, food-contact surfaces of the following equipment were not observed sanitized: the glasses in the chemical sanitizing dish machine located at the bar were not properly sanitized since the machine is not functioning properly, person in charge is not a certified food protection manager, person in charge is not able to provide a verbal or written policy for preventing the transmission of foodborne disease by an employee who has a disease or a medical condition, food establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when responding to vomiting or diarrheal event, hand soap was not provided at the handwashing sink located at the bar, no temperature measuring device located in the following cold or hot holding equipment: 2 Dr under counter cooler, Delfield 4 drawer prep top, Delfield 6 drawer under grill, Traulsen 2 Dr (sauté), refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41F: 2 Dr under counter cooler (52F) and Delfield 6 drawer under grill cooler (47F).

Ruby's Jamaican Kitchen: 2817 Schooley Dr., Alexandria, Va 22306

Last inspection: Aug. 4

Violations: No violations found.

Belle Haven Pizzeria: 1401 Belle Haven Rd., Alexandria, Va 22307

Last inspection: Aug. 12

Violations: No violations found.

Roy Rogers: 1506 C Belle View Blvd., Alexandria, Va 22307

Last inspection: Aug. 10

Violations: The food establishment does not have written procedures for employees to follow when responding to vomiting or diarrheal events, food item(s) for which time rather than temperature is used as a control is not marked or otherwise identified to indicate the time that is 4 hours past the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control: the salad bar fixings at the salad bar station were not marked with the 4 hour time parameters.

Taco Bell: 7230 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria, Va 22306

Last inspection: Aug. 23

Violations: No violations found.