Restaurant Inspections: KFC and Eastern Carry Out

Between Sept. 26 and Oct. 4, quite a few restaurants along the Route 1 corridor were inspected. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy to see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation.

Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. 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.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

KFC
7521 Richmond Hwy.
Date of inspection: Oct. 4
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Surfaces of beverage dispensing nozzles observed with black mold, and enclosed components of equipment are not being cleaned as required.

Cosmopolitan Grill
7770 Richmond Hwy.
Date of inspection: Oct. 2
Non-critical: A refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees.
Non-critical: Absence of no smoking signs or international no smoking signs in non-smoking area.

To Be Thai Restaurant
5970 Richmond Hwy. 
Date of inspection: Oct. 2
Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food holding in a manner that may cause cross contamination of ready-to-eat food.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Different types of raw animal foods stored in such a manner that may cause cross contamination.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Working containers of poisonous and toxic materials are not properly labeled with a common name.
Non-critical: Absence of no-smoking signs or international no-smoking signs in non-smoking area.

Eastern Carry Out
6230-G N Kings Hwy.
Date of inspection: Oct. 1
Critical (corrected during inspection): Unwrapped or uncovered food in the walk-in cooler and reach-in cooler where the food is subject to contamination.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food holding in a manner that may cause cross contamination of ready-to-eat food.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Chlorine sanitizing solution was not observed with an acceptable concentration. Observed the sanitizing solution in the wiping cloth bucket with a concentration of 0 ppm.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that hand soap was not provided at each handwashing sink.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that paper towels were not provided at each handwashing sink.
Non-critical: Absence of no-smoking signs or international no-smoking signs in non-smoking area.

Popeyes
7832 Richmond Hwy.
Date of inspection: Oct. 1
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food handler was observed drinking from an uncovered beverage container while in the kitchen.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Cans of raid were present in the facility and are applied by the operator who is not a certified pesticide applicator.
Non-critical: Observed that sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at the restroom handwashing sinks used by food employees.
Non-critical: Food storage containers located over three vat sink were found stacked while wet after cleaning and chemical sanitization.
Non-critical: The door gaskets of walk-in coolers are missing or damaged
Non-critical: The nonfood-contact surfaces of the gaskets on walk-in coolers were observed soiled with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, and/or other debris.