Dead Rodent, Insects, Dirt Inside Ice Machine, More Violations Found At VA Restaurants

VIRGINIA — Some signs of a restaurant with health violations are easy to spot; weird smells, crawling insects or unkempt employees are all red flags. But sometimes the problem is harder to pin down, such as food stored at improper temperatures, unclean kitchen equipment, or insufficient handwashing.

Some recent restaurant inspections throughout Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg uncovered a dead rodent, mold or dirt in the ice machine, imitation crab advertised as real crab on the menu, and foods dated using future dates. Some restaurants had as many as 30 violations.

Then there are commercial kitchens that are immaculately clean, surpass all safety standards and serve up delicious food.

"In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

Do you know how clean your favorite coffee shop, go-to restaurant or school kitchen is? Look through these recent food safety inspections from around Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg, courtesy of Patch.

• Flying Insects Reported Throughout Fredericksburg Eatery: Inspection
• Alexandria Restaurant Inspections: Dead Rodent, Ice Machine Mold
• Ice Machine Dirt Among 25 Violations: Manassas Restaurant Inspections
• Up To 13 Violations At 1 Eatery: Woodbridge Restaurant Inspections
• Fake Crab Mislabeled On Menu Part Two: Fredericksburg Inspections
• No Undercooked Burger Warning On Menu At Arlington Eatery: Inspections
• Manassas Restaurant Inspections: Up To 30 Violations At Eateries
• Deep Fryer Grease Soiling Walls, Ceiling Tiles: Restaurant Inspections