Restaurant Inspections: New Sweet Frog Receives Approval

From March 9-19, the state health department inspected a few restaurants along the Route 1 corridor. 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.

Woodlawn Plantation

9000 Richmond Hwy

Date of inspection: March 15

No violations were found during the inspection.

Cuco Lindo Restaurant

8428 Richmond Hwy

Date of inspection: March 14

Critical (corrected during inspection): One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.

Critical (corrected during inspection): The food-contact surfaces of the cutting boards were not observed sanitized.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food that is prepared on site is not used or discarded within 24 hours of preparation and was not observed to be date marked.

Critical: Raw animal food holding in a manner that may cause cross contamination of ready-to-eat food.

Non-critical: Openings to the exterior of the building are present along the back door.

Non-critical: Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.

Non-critical: The cutting board(s) along the prep cooler are heavily scratched and scored. The food contact surface is no longer easily cleaned and sanitized due to condition.

Non-critical: The nonfood-contact surface of the following equipment is not corrosion resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth: metal shelvings are corroded and not easily cleanable.

Non-critical: There is no cover to the feminine napkin refuse container in the ladies room stall.

Non-critical: Observed that following are not in good repair: lights are burnt out over grill and in kitchen.

Non-critical: Light bulb(s) in the kitchen are not covered by a protective shielding.

Sweet Frog

6307-F Richmond Highway

Date of inspection: March 14

No violations were found during the inspection.

Pema’s

8430 Richmond Highway

Date of inspection: March 13

Critical (corrected during inspection): One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Inadequate record keeping system for molluscan shellfish when removed from their tagged or labeled container: tag was filed away rather than kept with shellstock in walk-in cooler.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food holding in a manner that may cause cross contamination of ready-to-eat food as follows: raw fish over bichamel sauce in 2dr prep cooler.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Different types of raw animal foods stored in such a manner that may cause cross contamination as follows: plates and bowls of raw scallops and mussels over raw veal and raw pork in 2dr prep cooler.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed prep areas are not being cleaned at least every four hours.

Critical (corrected during inspection): The following refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food that is prepared on site is not used or discarded within 24 hours of preparation and was not observed to be date marked: cooked pasta, cooked sauce in walk-in cooler.

Critical: A review of the menu with the foodservice operator indicates that there is no consumer advisory for the following food item(s) that may be served raw and/or undercooked: cooked to serve steak - manager will hand correct both lunch and dinner menu.

Non-critical: Openings to the exterior of the building are present along the back door.

Non-critical: Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Dispensing and/or in-use utensils improperly stored between use as follows: 1) ice scoop handle touching ice 2) in-use utensils stored in standing water container.

Non-critical: The nonfood-contact surface of the following equipment is not corrosion resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth: shelvings are corroded.

Non-critical: Observed that following are in need of cleaning: walls, pipings, floors, nonfood shelvings.

Little Caesars

8752 Richmond Hwy

Date of inspection: March 12

Critical (corrected during inspection): One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.

Critical (corrected during inspection): When tested, the quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizing solution was observed to be at a concentration less than what is required for effective sanitization of food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils. Observed the sanitizing solution in the wet wiping bucket with a concentration of less than 150 ppm total quaternary ammonium compound.

Critical (corrected during inspection): The 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): prepped pizzas on rack and pizza sauces on counter.

Non-critical: Food containers were found stacked while wet after cleaning and chemical sanitization.

Non-critical: Observed that mops are improperly stored between use.