Restaurant Watch

OCT. 27

Pho So 1, 9135 West Broad Street – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: facility couldn’t provide food protection manager certification; observed staff storing personal drinks in upper cooler area of lowboy unit along with food for customers; employee restroom doesn’t have paper towels; multiple containers of white powders on cook line and bulk containers of rice are unlabeled; multiple food items incorrectly stored directly on walk-in freezer floor; observed reused storage bucket stored in ice machine; cardboard is being reused throughout kitchen; rubber door gaskets throughout kitchen (lowboy units, reach-in coolers, etc.) are dirty and moldy; there is food debris in between and under hot line equipment; one light is out in the ventilation system; there are multiple cracks in floor tiles along back cook line; floor under wok station is dirty and greasy; there are food splatter stains on ceiling tiles; employees’ personal items are incorrectly stored in prep table/prep line behind sandwich units.

The Answer Brewpub Co., 6008 West Broad Street – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: facility couldn’t provide food protection manager certification; no employee handwash signgage is posted in restrooms; bucket of sanitizer found stored in front bar hand sink (hand sinks are for handwashing only); in-use fry baskets are damaged; rubber door gaskets on reach-in freezer are torn; rubber door gaskets throughout kitchen and in front and back bar areas have dried food debris and/or mold on them (reach-in freezer, lowboy units, reach-in cooler, etc.); deep fryer cabinet is dirty and greasy; sides of hot line equipment have built up grease residue; interior of three-door reach-in cooler is dirty; floor under fryer is dirty and greasy; observed grease buildup in hood system.

Shorty’s Diner, 5625 West Broad Street – The following violations were reported during a follow-up inspection: menu doesn’t contain proper disclosure and asterisk mark for burgers, eggs and steaks that can be raw and/or undercooked; menu states catfish is being served but facility is serving swai; observed small flies near hand sink/walk-in cooler area; observed grease and food debris buildup on floors, prep shelves, grill, fryers, wire racks in walk-in cooler, monitors, cables, inside reach-in coolers and freezers, and under cook line.

OCT. 30

Rico’s Mexican Grill, 2316 John Rolfe Parkway – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: bags of beef and bags of chicken incorrectly stored together in grill drawer; various meats incorrectly stored over shredded cheese in reach-in; observed buildup inside tea dispenser and soda gun nozzle at bar; fried and stuffed peppers on plate at cook line are at an improper temperature; black beans, pico and potatoes are not date marked; tamales and fried stuffed peppers are past their expiration dates; boxes of food incorrectly stored directly on walk-in freezer floor; lighting in the walk-in is inadequate.

Plaza Azteca Restaurantes Mexicanos, 6623 West Broad Street – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: an employee handled raw meat and didn’t wash hands and change gloves before wrapping a burrito; fish found in a hand sink (hand sinks are for handwashing only); observed mildew buildup in ice machine and soda nozzle at bar; temperature of rice in hot holding cabinet is too low; temperatures of chicken and beef in drawers are elevated; fish is improperly thawing in sitting water and while still in reduced oxygen packaging; outside digital thermometer on drawers under grill is in disrepair; to-go containers are not stored inverted on top of prep shelf.

Which Wich, 1601 Willow Lawn Drive – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: meatballs are at an improper temperature; wiping cloths have no sanitizer; ice machine isn’t working.

Cook Out—Short Pump, 4245 Pouncey Tract Road – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: no handwash sign is posted in men’s restroom; hand sink near dry storage doesn’t have paper towels; observed multiple large flies in back kitchen; observed grease and debris buildup on back of equipment on cook line and in prep area; a hose with nozzle doesn’t have a backflow device installed; floors under equipment are dirty; drains are dirty and clogged; floor tiles around mop sink are cracked; there is low grouting throughout.

Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, 11710 West Broad Street – No violations reported during a follow-up inspection.

Vietnamese Deli Inc., 6215-A West Broad Street – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: kimchi is not date marked; date mark for meat mix in front refrigerator wasn’t accurately labeled; time is not being tracked for boba, rice and banana dumplings, cooked corn and red sweet rice; observed small bugs in a non-functioning reach-in refrigerator used for dry storage; facility doesn’t have any sanitizer on site; observed grease buildup on unused roll pans; the interior of non-functioning refrigerator is full of food debris and dirty equipment; there is food residue on racks in walk-in and on cook line; water is draining from ice machine onto floor (drainage pipe had come loose); unused equipment in kitchen and bathroom needs to be removed from the facility; two lights are out in hood system.

OCT. 31

Original Gino’s Pizza, 10444 Ridgefield Parkway – No violations reported during a routine inspection.

White Tiger Indian Restaurant, 3991-K Glenside Drive – No violations reported during a routine inspection.

Empanadas Market, 1110 Westbriar Drive – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: dried food debris found on slicer; temperature of chimichurri sauce with fresh garlic out on counter is elevated; foods from an event at VCU today were sitting out on the counter at improper temperatures; temperatures of milk and flan in reach-in are elevated; improper cooling methods observed for cheese sauce in large pot, red sauce made earlier today, and hot foods brought back from an event covered in the walk-in; tres leches cake and caramel flan in front beverage fridge near seating area are not properly labeled; walk-in refrigerator floor is rusting and peeling.

Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken, 1501 North Parham Road – The following violations were reported during a follow-up inspection: temperature of wings in make table is elevated; two fryer vents still have buildup.

NOV. 1

Burger Bach, 2225 Old Brick Road – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: no sanitizer detected at bar dish machine; observed dried food debris on slicer blade and blade guard; a few foods stacked high in the top of the make table have elevated temperatures (brie, spinach, pepper jack cheese slices); time is not being tracked for blanched fries; multiple chemical spray bottles are unlabeled; cutting boards in prep area are heavily scratched; hood filter is missing, creating gaps; observed food debris on racks in walk-in refrigerator; mop sink doesn’t have a dual check valve installed; mops incorrectly stored in mop sink basin (hang to air dry).

Tony’s Italian Restaurant, 3409 Cox Road – The following violations were reported during a routine inspection: person in charge couldn’t provide documentation that employees have received training on their illness reporting responsibilities; observed an employee return from a break outside and put on gloves without washing hands first; ice and lemons found in hand sink (hand sinks are for handwashing only); no sanitizer detected in dish machine; temperature of meat sauce on flat top is too low; temperatures of ham, mozzarella and pizza sauce are elevated; a spray bottle is unlabeled; a Febreeze spray bottle is filled with cleaning chemicals; walk-in cooler racks are rusty and soiled with food debris.