Alexandria Restaurant Violations: Flies And Mice Droppings Cited

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 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 Alexandria, including restaurants that passed with no violations. Among these violations were mouse droppings and flies at Gadsby's Tavern. Inspectors gave recommendations on eliminating harborage conditions.

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

B Doughnut: 215 S. Union St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: No test kit located in the facility for monitoring the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solutions, air gap between the water supply outlet and the flood rim level of the 3 compartment sinks was not observed, areas of this food establishment had walls constructed of a material that was not smooth, nonabsorbent, and easily-cleanable: floor and wall in the mop sink area

Eamonn's A Dublin Chipper: 728 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: ice scoop stored on top of soiled ice machine, certified food manager could not provide a food temperature measuring device, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: observed the potato slicer to be soiled and multiple knives in the upstairs bar area and one downstairs in the kitchen, no hand soap or paper towels at handwashing sink in the upstairs bar (all corrected), door gaskets of the following unit are (missing, damaged): Continental 2 door, ice machine located in the basement soiled, trays were found stacked while wet after cleaning and chemical sanitization, plumbing fixtures for the mop sink are leaking, toilet room is not provided with a self-closing door, several floor tiles in the kitchen and warewashing area are not maintained in good repair, mops and brooms are not hung up to air dry

Gadsby's Tavern: 138 N Royal St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 27

violations: Wet wiping clothes observed under cutting boards, ice machine deflector shield observed with black build up, sink basin at the handsink next to the walk-in cooler is slow to drain, light bulb(s) throughout the kitchen are not covered by a protective shielding, excessive flies and mouse droppings observed throughout the location: large bags of dirty towels and poor conditions of floors walls and ceilings are contributing the pest issues, floors, walls and ceilings are in need of cleaning: mouse droppings observed on the shelf below the oven where shoes are stored and in the corner of that same area

King Street Cafe: 1018 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: observed rice spoon in room temperature water, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: small creamer packets were on the counter and at 73 F, handwashing station at the front line is being used to clean equipment and utensils, pesticides are not being applied by a certified applicator (all corrected), floor tiles in the back are not maintained in good repair

The Light House: 715 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 12

violations: Person in Charge (PIC) was unable to present a Northern Virginia Certified Food Protection Manager card while on duty during hours of operation

Monterey's Pizza: 1230A N Henry St A, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: Food employee(s) was observed handling the following ready-to-eat foods using their bare hands: cooked chicken, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: the slicer on the back prep table (both corrected), nonfood-contact surfaces of the following equipment were observed soiled with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, and/or other debris: the pizza staging racks on the oven, light bulb(s) in the back area are not covered by a protective shielding, coving, walls (hole in the back area) and floor tiles are not maintained in good repair, floors under equipment and shelves and the walls are in need of cleaning

Noodle Box: 602 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 25

violations: No sanitizer sink was set up and employee did not know how to properly do so, foods that were not wrapped in portion sizes were all uncovered in in the prep coolers on multiple shelves and subject to contamination, food-contact surfaces of the following equipment were not observed sanitized: pans and bowls were observed being washed and rinsed but not sanitized (all corrected)

Old Town Sandwich Shop: 127 S. Peyton St 101, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 31

violations: FPM was not aware of all the symptoms that require an employee to be excluded from handling open food or which illnesses are required to be reported, employee(s) was observed handling the following ready-to-eat foods using their bare hands: chicken noodle soup, raw chicken was improperly stored above sliced roast beef and bread, dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: a plastic bowl is used as a scoop in the sugar bin, food item prepared from ambient air temperature ingredients is not being adequately cooled to 41°F or less within 4 hours: the fruit salad was 53°F and was prepared at 7:30am, chlorine being applied to food contact surfaces does not meet the requirements of 21 CFR 178.1010 sanitizing solutions (all corrected), raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure: eggs and hamburgers, no test kit located in the facility for monitoring the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solutions, manufacturer containers were observed reused for the storage of sugar, customer brought his pet dog into the store

Rustico Restaurant: 827 Slaters Ln, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 16

violations: A food employee failed to wash his hands after going outside and then returning into the kitchen and handling clean utensils and equipment, food handler was observed drinking from an uncovered beverage container while in the kitchen, raw pork and raw beef stored above cooked brisket in walk-in cooler, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: sliced tomatoes/45, chicken salad/47 and ham/45F in the top right portion of the prep unit (all corrected)

Sugar Shack: 804 N Henry St. 129, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 27

violations: The date on which the last shellstock from the container is sold or served was not recorded on the tag or label, observed several fruit flies around front and kitchen of establishment (both corrected)

Sunday in Saigon: 682 N. St. Asaph St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 18

violations: Light bulb on the front cookline above the cooking equipment are not covered by a protective shielding

Sweetfire Donna's: 510 John Carlyle St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 24

violations: Food stored on the floor and/or food stored less than 6 inches off the floor, foods were not cooled from 135°F to 41°F within a total of 6 hours: Two pans of the white chicken chili prepared 7/23 were 50°F and 56°F in the walk-in refrigerator, food containers for cooling food are arranged so as not to allow for maximum heat transfer, nonfood-contact surfaces of the following equipment had accumulations of grime and debris: the shelves in the walk-in refrigerator

The Wharf: 119 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: The person in charge failed to explain how the PIC, food employees, and conditional employees comply with reporting responsibilities and exclusion or restriction of food employees, observed bottles of wine stored in ice used for beverages with metal dispensing scoop stored in the basin, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: Crab meat, Sliced Tomatoes, Fish, Crab Cakes located in 1 door cooler, food being held for more than the specified time/temperature allowed: observed sauces dated with a made of date more than 7 days prior, utensils at bar were found stored in a soiled cup at the bar (all corrected), date on which the last shellstock from the container is sold or served was not recorded on the tag or label, observed pans of food cooling in walk in cooler underneath condensation line, farm-raised fish served or sold in a ready-to-eat form without freezing for parasite destruction is not properly identified as such: Salmon, improper methods used to thaw and store frozen fish, refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less. 1 Door Cooler

Yates Table Talk Restaurant: 1623 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 30

violations: Door gaskets of the following unit are (missing, damaged): the chest freezer in the kitchen, cutting boards along the prep table is heavily scratched and scored

No violations

Augie's Mussel House & Patio (pre-opening): 1106 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 16

violations: none

Diya Indian Cuisine (pre-opening): 218 N Lee St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 31

violations: none

Ginger Beef: 430 N. Pitt St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 19

violations: none

Society Fair: 277 S. Washington St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 17

violations: none

Subway: 320 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: July 31

violations: none

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