Old Town Restaurant Inspections: Balducci's, Sunday In Saigon, More

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The latest restaurant inspections are posted for Old Town Alexandria restaurants up to Aug. 3, and there's a mix of restaurants with violations and no violations.

The Alexandria Health Department's environmental health specialist regularly inspects restaurants and other food service establishments around the city. Each food service establishment gets at least one inspection per year, but the frequency of inspections is based on the type of food prepared and how it is prepared, according to the Virginia Department of Health inspection database. Inspections may be routine visits, follow-up inspections, training inspections, pre-opening inspections, or risk assessment or complaint inspections.

Reports are typically available a week after the inspection. Residents can search for a specific restaurant or browse a map of inspected locations through the online database.

Below are recent reports for restaurants around Old Town Alexandria. Click on each link to see the full report for the restaurant.

Chop Shop Taco: 1008 Madison St. Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: Aug. 3 (routine)

Violations: Observed a container of cheese left on the counter top cold holding at an improper temperature (50 F), methods used for cooling were not adequate: rice container was covered while cooling, corn on the cob container was covered while cooling, observed several flies in the facility-both in the kitchen and the dining room, observed a container of utensils stored in water that was at 89 F.

Le Refuge: 127 N. Washington St C Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: Aug. 1 (follow-up)

Violations: No violations found.

Balducci's Food Lover's Market #3601-deli: 600 Franklin St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 29 (routine)

Violations: Soap was not provided at the hand washing sink in the deli prep area, no disposable towels were provided at the hand sink by the deli prep area near the dish room and by the front deli area, foods observed improperly cold holding above 41F: ribs 43F, chicken strips 44F in the display case on the sales floor, scoop observed left if bulk summer salad container in the deli walk-in cooler, gasket to the deli prep walk-in cooler observed torn and no longer in good condition, shelving in the front deli station (sandwich) cooler observed rusting and no longer in good condition, cutting boards in the prep areas are heavily scratched and scored, in hot water mechanical warewashing operations, an irreversible registering temperature indicator was not provided and was not readily accessible for measuring the utensil surface temperature, light bulb(s) in the interior deli case are not covered by a protective shielding.

Hank's Oyster Bar Old Town: 818 N. St. Asaph St. Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 29 (pre-opening)

Violations: No violations found.

Firehook Bakery: 430 S. Washington St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 29 (routine)

Violations: Utensils observed stored in standing water (82F) by the espresso machine, missing floor tiles under the trash can under the counter by the espresso machine.

Italian Gourmet Market & Deli (Deli): 500 John Carlyle St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 29 (risk factor)

Violations: No violations found.

The Chewish Deli: 1640 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 28 (pre-opening)

Violations: No violations found.

219 Restaurant: 219 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 28 (follow-up)

Violations: No violations found.

Sunday in Saigon: 682 N. St. Asaph St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 28 (routine)

Violations: Observed cabbage and rice noodles cold holding above 41 F in the 4 drawer unit, 4 drawer unit is ambient holding at 45 F, observed accumulations of dust, dirt, food residue or other debris on the following non-food-contact surfaces: bar refrigeration units, table surfaces, and outside of equipment, sticky substances were attracting fruit flies, floor drains throughout the establishment are slow to drain or clogged.

Kismet Modern Indian: 111 N. Pitt St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 27 (routine)

Violations: Container of raw minced lamb observed stored above RTE food items in the reach-in cooler on the cook line, water temperature in the manifold servicing the high temperature warewashing machine was below the minimum allowable level of 180ºF, build-up of debris along the sides of the deflector panel of the ice machine, spinach and kofta observed still in the process of cooling and placed in the reach-in cooler with a lid on top of the container, unlabeled food containers with the following food items that are not easily identified by appearance: container of spices, chickpeas, cashew nuts, puffed rice on the cook line, containers of utensils on the cook line observed in standing water not maintained at 135F or above, in hot water mechanical warewashing operations, an irreversible registering temperature indicator was not provided and was not readily accessible for measuring the utensil surface temperature, no chlorine test strips were available for the bar dish machine and quat. ammonium test strips for the 3 compartment sink, employee purse/bags observed stored on the shelving used for storing single-use items.

Mia's Italian Kitchen: 100 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 27 (risk factor)

Violations: No violations found.

The Wharf: 119 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 27 (risk factor)

Violations: Shrimp (49) and scallops (49) in the cold drawers Cold holding at improper temperatures due to unit not working properly, raw and/or undercooked foods (burgers, eggs, salmon) are offered on the brunch and lunch menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure.

King & Rye: 480 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 27 (routine)

Violations: Foods improperly cold holding above 41F: ham (49F), bacon (44F), butter (42F), sausage (44F) at the cold top reach-in cooler at the entrance of the cook line. Onion (45F), onion (48F), watermelon (52F) at the reach-in cooler at pantry, potatoes (47F) in the reach-in cooler drawers, ready to eat items in the reach-in coolers on the cook line and back kitchen observed not to have proper date marking, raw and/or undercooked foods offered on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure do not provide a disclosure statement: Sunny egg, poached egg, 2 eggs on the breakfast menu, Observed watermelon in ROP packaging on the cook line (observed no date marking of production time and date), utensils on the cook line observed in standing water at 112F due to flames were not turned on, reach-in coolers on the cook line located at the front entrance of the cook line and the pantry reach-in cooler is unable to consistently maintained TCS foods at or below 41F, nonfood contact surface of the following had accumulations of grime and debris: gaskets to the reach-in coolers and walk-in cooler units.

Starbucks Coffee #701: 532 King St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 27 (routine)

Violations: Surfaces of ice bins, beverage dispensing nozzles, and enclosed components of equipment are not being cleaned as required: build-up observed to the deflector panel of the ice machine.

PLNT Burger: 1700 Duke St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 26 (routine)

Violations: No violations found.

Extra Perks: 822 N. Fairfax St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 26 (risk factor)

Violations: No violations found.

A La Lucia: 315 Madison St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 26 (risk factor)

Violations: No violations found.

Royal Restaurant: 734 N. St. Asaph St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 26 (risk factor)

Violations: No certified food protection manager to supervise the food establishment's food service employees, deli slicer was observed soiled between the blades and the hard to reach areas, interior upper portion of ice machine was observed soiled, foods found in the cookline prep unit and the dessert 1 door upright were cold holding at improper temperatures (above 41 F), foods such as lasagna, deli meats, and cooked proteins in the refrigeration units are not labeled with a "consume by" date.

Genji Sushi Express: 1700 Duke St Alexandria, VA 22314

Last inspection: July 26 (routine)

Violations: No violations found.

Yunnan By Potomac- Noodle House: 814 N. Fairfax St Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Last inspection: July 25 (risk factor)

Violations: No violations found.