Alexandria Restaurant Inspections: Mold In Ice Machine

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 often pop up, 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 Old Town Alexandria restaurants through late September and early October, which includes restaurants that passed with no violations. Among these violations was a mold-like substance in the ice machines at Mia's Italian Kitchen and TJ Stone's.

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

219 Restaurant: 219 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 26

violations: Food employee(s) was observed handling the following ready-to-eat foods using their bare hands: observed soux chef garnishing pasta and touching toast with bare hands, food items were measured at improper temperatures:collard greens, pork belly, roasted yams and roasted turnips were all above 41 F and found in the 2 door glass upright-kitchen, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch:the potato dicer was heavily soiled (all corrected), refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less. The 2 door glass upright unit in the kitchen holding at 50 F, light bulbs in the basement, above the three compartment sink and in the hallway are not covered by a protective shielding

Daniel O'Connell's Restaurant: 112 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 4

violations: Improper use of wet wiping cloths for the following activity: wiping cloths stored in bucket with no sanitizer, food items were measured at improper temperatures: mashed potatoes and potatoes for sheppard's pie were below 135 F, food items were measured at improper temperatures: raw oysters, coleslaw, raw calamari all in the 1 door fliptop across the fryers, working containers of poisonous and toxic materials are not properly labeled with a common name (corrected), raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure:The footnote to the disclosure statement is missing, drawer/flip top prep unit (across fryers) is holding at 2 F, plumbing connections under the wash basin for the three compartment sink piping are leaking, light bulbs in the kitchen above the prep units are not covered by a protective shielding

Fish Market: 105 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 26

violations: Tags missing from the molluscan shellfish containers, paper towels were not provided at each handwashing sink (both corrected), facility is cooking raw animal foods using a non-continuous cooking process, but does not have the proper written procedures in place

Hank's Pasta Bar: 600 Montgomery St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 3

violations: Tags missing from the molluscan shellfish containers, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: marinara sauce at 125 F, no consumer advisory for the following food items that may be served raw and/or undercooked: on lunch menu, no asterisks for burger and salmon, raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure: no disclosure statement found on lunch and dinner menu, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: deli slicer, can opener and can opener holder in the kitchen (all corrected), several containers of utensils such as tongs and spoons were stored in room temperature water and/or sanitizer

Hen Quarter: 801 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 3

violations: Refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less: the front line prep (56°F,45°F) and the wait station undercounter (45°F), door gaskets of the following unit(s) are (missing, damaged): the wait station undercounter cooler and the downstairs reach-in freezer, plumbing connections under the 3-compartment sink located in the prep kitchen on the lower level are leaking

Ichiban Sushi House: 211 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 3

violations: Drink observed stored on shelving unit for clean dishware without a lid and straw, observed sink with food debris and a pan scrubber stored in sink at start of inspection (both corrected)

Jack's Place: 222 N. Lee St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 26

violations: Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows:observed container of utensils in room temperature water, food items were measured at improper temperatures: half and half and milk were observed at 55 F (2 door undercounter unit) (both corrected), refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less. The 2 door undercounter unit is holding at 54 F

La Trattoria: 305 S. Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 2

violations: The following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: shredded mozzarella (47°F) stored inside the under-counter cooler, food in the refrigeration unit is not used within 24 hours of preparation and is not properly dated for disposition within 7 days at 41°F: lasagna stored inside the walk-in cooler, food is not used within 24 hours after opening the commercial package and is not properly dated for disposition within 7 days at 41°F: mozzarella cheese block located in the reach-in refrigerator (all corrected), refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less: under-counter cooler, door gaskets of the following unit(s) are (missing, damaged): under-counter cooler, nonfood-contact surfaces of the following equipment were observed soiled with an accumulation of dust, food residue, and/or other debris: storage shelves throughout the facility and prep coolers

Mia's Italian Kitchen: 100 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 4

violations: Food items were measured at improper temperatures: observed container of meat sauce and cream stored on the prep top portion of the pasta unit to be above 41 F, handwashing stations at the bar (x3) were being used as a dump station (both corrected), ice machine on 3rd floor had accumulation of mold-like substance, observed mops in different mop sinks not in air dry position

Perk's Coffee Shop: 822 N. Fairfax St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 10

violations: Observed that the floors in several areas of the kitchen are in need of cleaning

Royal Restaurant: 734 N. St. Asaph St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 10

violations: The following food item were measured at improper temperatures: -Sausages (hot line) -Cooked potatoes (sitting out) -Cooked onions (on shelf above stove), the following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures in the prep refrigerator by cook line: Ham, cut tomatoes, cole slaw, feta cheese, shrimp, food item(s) for which time rather than temperature is being used as a control was 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: Raw shell eggs, food-contact surfaces of dishes and utensils were not adequately sanitized in the dish machine. Chlorine sanitizer concentration was below 50ppm (~20ppm) (all corrected), unwrapped or uncovered food observed in the reach in freezer

Sam Phao Thai Cuisine: 1019 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 3

violations: Raw animal food (marinated chicken) stored over ready-to-eat food (cut lettuce) in the flip top refrigeration unit, food in the refrigeration unit is not used within 24 hours of preparation and is not properly dated for disposition within 7 days at 41°F: yellow curry, panang curry, king curry, peanut sauce, green beans, cleaning schedule for cutting board is not approved based on the consideration of characteristics of the equipment and its use, the type of food involved, the amount of food residue accumulation, or the temperature at which food is maintained during the operation (both corrected)

Sonoma Cellar: 207 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 1

violations: Raw animal food (pork) stored over ready-to-eat food (asparagus) in the refrigeration unit, food in the refrigeration unit is not used within 24 hours of preparation and is not properly dated for disposition within 7 days at 41°F: carrot puree, cole slaw, pasta, lentils, handwashing facility located at the downstairs dish room is blocked by a large linen basket, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing, paper towels were not provided both handwashing sinks (upstairs kitchen, downstairs next to 3 compartment sink) (all corrected)

TJ Stone's: 608 Montgomery St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 10

violations: The following methods used for cooling were not adequate to facilitate cooling of the product from 135°F to 41°F within 6 hours: observed several containers of gravy to be cooled in the WIC and on ice without proper stirring, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: baked beans and mushroom gravy were below 135 F, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: colelsaw and blue cheese dressing on ice on the server counter top, feta and blue cheese in the 3 door prep top-left, raw chicken and ribs on the 3 door prep top-right, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: the fry cutter and deli slicer are heavily soiled with food debris, paper towels were not provided at each handwashing sink (corrected), observed heavy accumulation of dust and debris on main WIC fan, shelving units throughout the kitchen, ice machine interior accumulating mold-like subtance, some light bulbs in the kitchen are not covered by a protective shielding, floor tiles, grout and coving is not maintained in good repair throughout kitchen

Tokyo Japanese Steak House: 66 Canal Plz, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 27

violations: Different types of raw animal foods stored in such a manner that may cause cross contamination as follows: Observed raw chicken stored above raw beef (corrected)

The Warehouse Bar & Grill: 214 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 27

violations: Unwrapped or uncovered food observed in the walk in freezer and ice cream freezer, dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: Observed in use utensils in standing water below 135°F, nonfood-contact surfaces of the following equipment were observed soiled with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, and/or other debris: Hinges and handles of the low boy refrigerator, interior cabinet of fryer, interior of refrigerators, exterior surfaces of the can opener

Zento Restaurant: 693 N. Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 28

violations: There is no covered refuse container for the disposal of feminine napkins in the unisex room stall on the right

No Violations

Blackwall Hitch: 5 Cameron St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 2

violations: none

The Light Horse (pre-opening): 715 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 5

violations: none

Pendleton Carryout (pre-opening): 807 Pendleton St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Oct. 4

violations: none

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