Alexandria Restaurant Violations: Mice Droppings Around Microwave

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 Del Ray and Old Town Alexandria restaurants through early September, which includes restaurants that passed with no violations. Among these violations were mouse droppings around the microwave and dead cockroaches at Waffle House. This was a repeat violation, and the health inspector provided tips to eliminate 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

Augie's Mussel House and Patio: 1106 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Aug. 31

violations: Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils, Unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: dry storage: flour was not covered in the basement, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: salmon, crab meat, eggs, chicken, mussels (silver pan, black pan), heavy, cream, milk, sour cream, bologna, (kitchen walk-in) (all corrected), establishment's employee health policy (EHP) is not compliant with the Food Code because: managers were not aware of the reportable illnesses, tags missing from the molluscan shellfish containers, date on which the last shellstock from the container is sold or served was not recorded on the tag or label, fish served or sold in a ready-to-eat form without freezing for parasite destruction is not properly identified as such: smoked salmon, hand soap was not provided at the basement handwashing sinks, paper towels were not provided at the basement handwashing sinks

Bella Napole: 1310 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: Sept. 5

violations: Handwashing station at the across from the cookline is being used for purposes other than washing hands. (plastic container observed stored in hand sink) (corrected)

CAVA Mezze Grill: 3525 C Jefferson Davis Hwy., Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 4

violations: Observed employee eating a segment of a peach in the WIC, food items were measured at improper temperatures: chicken, braised lamb, and spicy meatballs (all found on main line), o papertowels observed in all hand wash stations, spray bottle holding yellow liquid had no labels (all corrected), observed that the lighting under the grill (bulbs from the hood/vent) were providing 9 to 16 foot candles

Cheesetique: 2411 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301, last inspection: Aug. 31

violations: The following food items were measured at improper temperatures: beef ragu (52 F)-2 door UC-near entrance, cooked pork (51 F), and roasted chicken (51 F)-1 door next to panini press, food being held for more than the specified time/temperature allowed: container of pulled pork (prep date-8/23) and container of beef ragu (prep date-8/8) (both corrected), no consumer advisory for the following food items that may be served raw and/or undercooked: the cocktail-fior italiano is made with raw eggs, refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less: 1 door turbo air (next to panini press) is holding at 54F on the bottom shelves while the top is holding at 41 F, (floors, floor coverings, walls, wall coverings, or ceilings) are not designed, constructed, or installed so that they are smooth and easily cleanable, panini presses are exposed to duct wrap that is coming apart, warewashing area is exposed to chipping paint from the ceiling/vent pipe

Diya Indian Cuisine: 218 N Lee St., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 6

violations: No Northern Virginia Certified Food Protection Manager on duty during hours of operation, no employee was designated as the person in charge of the food establishment, employees were not aware of the 5 symptoms of illness that they are required to report to the PIC, food employee(s) was observed handling the following ready-to-eat foods using their bare hands: naan bread, raw chicken observed over bell peppers in the 2 door tall reach-in cooler, chicken observed thawing in standing water in the sink and fish observed thawing in ROP packaging, 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: cooked lentils, vegetable fritters, eggplant (all corrected), walls in the dish area are in need of cleaning

Edible Arrangements: 4678-A S King St., Alexandria, VA 22302, last inspection: Sept. 12

violations: The following food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: In the prep top cooler observed honey dew ay 47F and kale greens at 46F (corrected), mechanical refrigeration unit is not currently operating as required to cold hold food at a temperature of 41°F or less. Prep top cooler observed at 46F, lack of an approved backflow prevention device on the water supply system

The Espresso Cafe: 1101 King St 111, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 7

violations: 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: cooked eggs, sliced tomatoes, sliced ham, sliced roast beef, cut melon (corrected), nonfood-contact surface of the following equipment is not corrosion resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth: the shelves and prep table, coving behind the prep table in the back area is missing

Lilian's Restaurant: 3901 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 12

violations: Plumbing connections under the three compartment sink piping are leaking (wash-left basin), spray bottle holding blue liquid and two spray bottles holding clear liquid with no common name (corrected)

Mason Social: 728 N Henry Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Aug. 31

violations: Observed that the following potentially hazardous foods were not cooled from 135°F to 41°F within a total of 6 hours: hard boiled eggs measured 46°F after cooling for longer than 6 hours, 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: hard boiled eggs, cooked brussel sprouts, crab cakes, raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure: poached eggs on the brunch menu (all corrected), observed a large hole in the wall by the back door behind the speed racks

MOMO Sushi and Cafe: 212 Queen St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Aug. 30

violations: No Northern Virginia Certified Food Protection Manager on duty during hours of operation, employees observed beginning prep, changing tasks and dawning gloves without washing hands, avocados are not washed before slicing, Fish observed thawing in ROP packaging, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: chopped lettuce, zucchini (in the 1 door prep top in the kitchen), edamame (in the tall reach-in in the kitchen), handwashing station in the sushi bar area downstairs is being used to clean equipment and utensils (all corrected), wet wiping clothes stored on the cutting boards in the sushi prep area, cardboard observed being used as a wall and lining shelves, unsealed wood observed lining a shelve used for food prep and a piece of unsealed wood observed used as a support for the sushi counter upstairs

Quattro Formaggi: 1725 Duke St B, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 5

violations: Raw animal food (chicken) stored over ready-to-eat food (pizza sauce) in the refrigeration unit, 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): Pizza, calzones, Pizza and housemade dressings 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, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: meat slicer, food processor, muffin tins, and knives, handwashing facility located in the dish area is blocked, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing (all corrected)

Shanghai Peking Chinese Restaurant: 506 N. Henry St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Aug. 31

violations: Employees observed donning gloves to begin food prep without washing hands, raw chicken observed being prepped on the same prep table as dumplings were being bagged, food item(s) were measured at improper temperatures: chicken, dumplings in the 1 door tall freezer. Chicken, pork, egg rolls, dumplings in the WIC, back door observed being propped open with boxes from a delivery (all corrected), shelves over the chest freezer in the back and on the cart holding the rice are lined with unsealed wood, nonfood contact surface of the storage bins, shelves and WIC shelves had accumulations of grime and debris, plumbing connections under the triple sink piping are leaking, light shields in the kitchen observed falling, filters observed with excessive build up of grease

Sicilian Pizza: 1504-B Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 7

violations: Oils and sauces in squeeze bottles had no labeling, door gaskets of the following unit(s) are (missing, damaged): walk-in cooler door is unable to stay closed

Toppers Pizza: 3827 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 11

violations: The person in charge has a food manager certification from an accredited program, but does not have the Northern VA Certified Food Protection Manager certificate (photo ID card), 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: pizza sauce and salsa found on the pizza prep table

Waffle Shop: 3864 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 4

violations: 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: observed containers of cooked steak, rice, grits, corned beef hash, etc. not date-marked, equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: observed the deli slicer to be heavily soiled with food debris from previous usage (both corrected), unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: observed several containers of food in the freezer that were uncovered including ice cream tubs and opened hot dog packages and uncovered corned beef hash in the 2 door preptop, door of the following unit is damaged: the cover to the upstairs white frigidaire chest freezer is in bad repair and could potentially affect cold-holding capabilities, harborage conditions exist: observed floors throughout facility to be soiled and not cleaned regularly, observed trash can upstairs to be full with food scraps and not thrown away, trash can was accumulating fruit flies upstairs and observed multiple dead cockroaches throughout the facility, floors throughout the kitchen, upstairs and in the back are in need of cleaning and areas under the refrigeration units and storage racks are in need of cleaning, observed accumulation of food debris, observed top of microwave to be dirty and observed mouse droppings around it

No violations

Five Guys Burgers and Fries (pre-opening): 3525 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 6

violations: none

IHOP: 3425 Jefferson Davis Hwy A, Alexandria, VA 22305, last inspection: Sept. 6

violations: none

Le Refuge: 127 N. Washington St C, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 6

violations: none

Myron Mixon's Pitmaster Barbecue: 220 N. Lee St, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 6

violations: none

Sugar Shack: 804 N Henry St. 129, Alexandria, VA 22314, last inspection: Sept. 11

violations: none

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