Top 10 Worst Health Scores In Mecklenburg County For December 2018

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Even though the Charlotte region’s restaurant selection continues to grow, so does our population, and some restaurants are taking advantage of this growing customer base by letting their health standards slide.

Some of the most common reasons for low scores were food handlers not washing their hands properly, contaminated food containers, and improper food temperatures (many restaurants are starting to use infrared thermometers to avoid this). You can see exactly what the inspectors look for on this blank copy of an inspection report.

These are the top 10 worst currently standing inspection scores in Mecklenburg County (some restaurants scored lower in December but were reinspected with higher scores before December 31st):

#10 The Asbury

235 N TRYON ST, CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 90.5 (A) on 12/7/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed employee make a personal drink then put on gloves to handle RTE food.
  • Observed employees handle parsley and leafy greens that was not going to be immediately cooked with bare hands.
  • Observed facility holding braised beans, carrots, pickled cucumbers, beets, celery soup, squash puree, braised cabbage, potaotes, proscuitto, and blue cheese in an improper ice bath and holding above 45F.
  • Observed kale and hydroponic greens that was prepped earlier but stored in prep unit for use that was at 48-49F.
  • Observed butter if prep top at 68F, milk and half and half in stand up reachin above 50F.
  • Observed cooked raisins and apple butter that was prepped on 11.11 and frozen the same day but no pull date added to reference remaining shelf life.
  • Observed half and half (11.26), heavy cream (11.27), quiche mix (11.29), and roasted tomato coffe sauce (11.28) that were held over 7 days.

#9 Cottage

6701 N TRYON STREET SUITE D, CHARLOTTE NC 28213
Scored 90.5 (A) on 12/14/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed a few items in the walk-in refrigerator like two bins of ribs were uncovered and not in the cooling process.
  • Observed egg rolls at 47F in the flip top., Top layer sticking out of the cold wells was removed to the walk-in to cool.
  • Observed facility using a date marking board however there are multiple batches of ribs and only one date.
  • Observed hot dogs not date marked.
  • Observed gasoline stored in the dry storage room by the food.

#8 Loft & Cellar

305 W 4TH ST, CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 90 (A) on 12/4/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed employee wash hands for less than 15 seconds several times.
  • Observed employee move directly from handling dirty dishes to handling clean dishes with no handwash.
  • Observed employee soap up and rinse off hands in dirty dish/prewash area.
  • Observed both upstairs bar handsinks with drinks dumped in them. One of the handsinks also had a sanitizer bucket stored in it.
  • Observed fully cooked sausages stored under raw salmon and shrimp on speed rack.
  • Observed unwashed produce stored over washed produce.
  • Observed upstairs bar ice machine with black build up.
  • Observed plates stored as clean with food debris on them.
  • Observed garlic in oil stored at room temperature.
  • Observed multiple TCS items throughout facility beyond 7 day date mark including but not limited to cooked apples (11/24), relishes (11/26), red rice (11/22), chicken stock (11/27), pickled apples (11/25), sweet potatoes (11/23), and hock jam (11/10).
  • Observed eye drops stored on shelf above food items.

#7 Qdoba Mexican Grill at Ivey’s Hotel

127 N TRYON ST, CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 88 (B) on 12/31/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed no certified food protection manager on site.
  • Observed debris inside container of salt.
  • Observed several containers stored as clean with food debris or greasy.
  • Observed a vacuum sealer. Cannot be used to reseal packaging after opening. Regional manager said he would remove it from establishment.

#6 Pita Kabab Grill 

131 E JOHN ST, MATTHEWS NC 28105
Scored 88 (B) on 12/26/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed dish machine operating at 0ppm chlorine concentration. EHS observed chemical supply line broken.
  • Observed diced tomatoes and tabbouleh cold holding above 45F in a flip top cooler.
  • Observed lamb sauce, hummus, lentil soup, and lamb shank stored in the walk in cooler without date marks on the products.
  • Observed 2 unlabeled chemical spray bottles.

#5 Kindred Restaurant 

131 N MAIN ST, DAVIDSON NC 28036
Scored 88 (B) on 12/26/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed employee drinking on cook line with open container of water.
  • Observed numerous employees change gloves without washing hands.
  • Observed employee cutting/prepping dill with bare hands.
  • Observed both the bar and kitchen dish machine at 0ppm.
  • Observed tomato sauce on surface at 130F. (must be 135F or above)
  • Observed grits holding 128F on stovetop. (must be 135F or above)
  • Observed numerous foods above 45F.
  • Butter at middle station was not labeled with start/end times.
  • Observed bottle of chlorine without label at dish wash station.
  • Observed weekly thermometer calibration log not filled out for entire month of December.
  • Observed labels on vacuum packaged foods missing the “use by” date.

#4 Mingfu

115 W JOHN ST, MATTHEWS NC 28105
Scored 87.5 (B) on 12/20/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed PIC and employees without knowledge of responsibility of required reporting of symptoms, illnesses, and exposure.
  • Observed multiple food employees wash hands and re-contaminate them turning off water.
  • Observed sushi chef don gloves without first washing hands.
  • Observed sushi chef bare hand contact cucumber at hand wash sink and food employee cutting napa bare handed for advanced prep.
  • Observed sushi chef prepping rte foods in hand sink.
  • Observed prepped raw pork stored over open rte spring rolls in walk in freezer.
  • Observed unwashed produce over washed produce.
  • Observed cooked chicken in top of prep unit at 87F.
  • Observed no sashimi date marked in upper sushi ch unit.
  • Observed facility not labeling TPHC sushi rice according to written procedures.

#3 Sushi 1010 Noodle Bar

5355 BALLANTYNE COMMONS PY, CHARLOTTE NC 28277
Scored 87 (B) on 12/31/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed cellphone cord stored in container of wonton strips.
  • Observed minor amount of debris accumulation on inside wall of ice machine.
  • Observed steamer pot and char grill with visible food debris on them from previous night while these items were turned off.
  • Observed 2 containers of fish eggs being stored at room temperature for an extended period of time while the products were between 57-60F.
  • Observed dumplings, cooked shrimp, cooked octopus, and bbq eel without datemarks.
  • Observed sushi rice from previous night stored on rice stand.
  • Observed grill lighter stored in same container as shrimp chips and a bottle of windex stored above a flip top cooler.

#2 Lempira Restaurant

140 EASTWAY DR, CHARLOTTE NC 28213
Scored 85 (B) on 12/4/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed an employee walk in from the outside, grab a sheet pan, and go into the walk-in to get food without washing their hands.
  • Observed raw hamburgers over corn in the walk in freezer. Both were open from the original container.
  • Observed a container of raw shrimp stored on tortillas in the bottom of the flip top by the cook line.
  • Observed cut cheese being stored in direct contact with “Thank you” bags. These bags are not to be used for food storage of prepared food in the facility.
  • Observed tortillas wrapped in a towel. Towel was also in poor condition.
  • Observed dirty knives, buckets, and containers stored as clean.
  • Observed the dish machine was not sanitizing. 0 ppm chlorine.
  • Observed a food employee wash tongs, dry them with a paper towel, and put them back in use without sanitizing.
  • Observed 3 grey bus tubs of refried beans and 1 of pinto beans that had not cooled properly.
  • Observed plantains at 104F on the steam table.
  • Observed cooked shrimp in a reach in cooler not date marked.
  • Observed sanitizer bucket at over 200 ppm chlorine.
  • Observed a container of powdered bleach clearner for use in bathrooms and on floors stored with clean pots.

#1 Pudina

128 BREVARD CT, CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 81 (B) on 12/11/2018

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed employee drink stored on shelf in sliding door storage over customer food/dry good items.
  • Observed employee fill up container with water at handsink.
  • Observed pork rolls that employees stated have raw pork, stored over ready to eat crab sticks in freezer. Pork rolls were out of commercial packaging.
  • Observed bag of unwashed lemons stored over ready to eat food in sliding door cooler with bubble tea items.
  • Observed sanitizer bottle was empty at the dish machine. Dish machine was testing 0ppm chlorine. Facility was washing dishes in the dish machine upon arrival.
  • Observed black and pink build up on inside of ice bin in dining area.
  • Observed noodles cooling at a rate of .04 F/min in several tightly closed and stacked containers in reach in cooler upstairs.
  • Observed noodles cooling in the same way as previously stated in downstairs kitchen, but at a rate of 0.10 F/min.
  • Observed fried pork rolls held below 135F in fryer basket, over oil.
  • Observed date marking on onion sauce (12/3) and orange sauce (12/1) to be more than 7days.
  • Observed broth cooked at N. Tryon st location yesterday dated 12/11.
  • Observed broth dated 12/5 in reach in that was frozen. Employee stated that product was frozen at N. Tyron st location.
  • Observed no procedures for wraps that are held on time.
  • Observed times on noodles, rare beef, kabobs, paneer, chicken, and wraps were for 5 hours (11a-4p).
  • Observed cold items labeled for discard at 3pm still in cooler at 3:30pm.
  • Observed no time written on noodles in main floor kitchen.
  • Observed unlabeled pink liquid spray bottle.

As of January 2nd, the above scores have not changed, but they can be increased (or decreased) at any time, as soon as they have a re-inspection.

If you’d like to monitor health scores, or do a quick search for a restaurant you’re about to eat at, check out North Carolina’s health inspection database here.

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